We got 1 bag of rice, wrapper after 2023 election, APC women decry low patronage
Women leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC drawn from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory FCT have decried the lack of patronage by the President Bola Tinubu administration, saying they only got one bag of rice and one wrapper after the general election.
The women made the lamentation on Tuesday when the visited the National Chairman of the party, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje.
Led by Patricia Yakubu from Adamawa, the women leaders said it was disheartening to be so treated after giving so much to the party, even at great personal risks.
Listing the woeful takes that had befallen the women, Yakubu said; “Your Excellency, the State women leaders will want to advocate that we should be carried along in all the affairs pertaining women in the states. We are closer to the Party Women at the grassroots, the largest voting bloc in the secular world, our demography should not be neglected.
“Since after the elections, Your Excellency may note that, only one bag of rice and one paper wrapper was given to the States women leaders from the National Secretariat of the party.
“Nothing was given to us during Easter, the Ramadan fasting period and Sallah Festivities. Even the palliatives that were distributed were not given to the women leaders for onward distribution to the grassroots. We, party women, waited and waited and waited to no avail. Very sad.
“Your Excellency respectfully, we wish to notify you that the Women Leaders sacrificed so much towards the victory of our great party during the 2023 elections.
“Here are a few of the situations that our women had to go through. “The women slept on the grass in open spaces, took great risks at the Women Development Center, Abuja and almost in every state during electioneering period to ensure victory.
“The house of one of us was demolished on the election day by the opposition party in her state to distract her from canvassing votes for the party.
“The son of one of us was kidnapped a day to the presidential election. “Another woman was detained in the police station for three days on the election day.
“Then one of us was involved in a ghastly motor accident during the campaigns, because they did not want to hear of APC in her community and she is still in and out of the hospital.
“Many of us got their cars damaged and some completely lost their personal cars during the campaigns and today, they are not mobile.
“Your Excellency, the women have not been compensated for all their pains and sacrifices, we are feeling neglected.
“We will also want to respectfully draw the attention of His Excellency, our Father, the advocate of women empowerment to the fact that most of the Federal Government programs that has to do with women sounds like news to us.
“We want to plead with you to use your good offices and discuss with the ministers and heads of agencies to involve our women in their programmes, so as to boost confidence of our women and to encourage participation and support towards strengthening the party, especially in states where we don’t have APC Governors”, she added.
She said members of the forum include a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police, career diplomats, former Federal and State Lawmakers, former Honourable Commissioners, a former Director at UNICEF, former Local Government Chairpersons, Entrepreneurs, an Associate Professor, Teachers and others, adding that they provide a pool of valuable hands for rye Renewed Hope Agenda of the president.
