Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the women wing of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) led by the representative in the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, Hon. Stella Okotete, has said that it will work to achieve about 108 female members in the House of Representatives.
Hon. Stella Okotete who stated this at a meeting held at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja, said the plan is to provide a platform for three women from each state to contest for the House of Representatives election in 2023.
To achieve this, the APC women wing has inaugurated a lobby panel to interface with the party leaders and Male politicians across the country.
Mrs Okotete said they also intend to achieve the goal by ensuring that a higher percentage of women get key positions in the APC leadership in the forthcoming National Convention and State Congresses.
“In some countries, a certain percentage of the capital budget is allocated to women owned enterprises. If this is adopted by the ruling party in government, I can assure you that what we are planning for 2023, the 108 positions minimum in the House of Representatives will be achieved.
“We are hopeful we will have beyond the women leader position. Other NWC and SWC positions. That will create that traction and visibility. I am sure if we have 35% in the NWC and SWC, nothing will stop our women from being in the ballot for our party. By the grace of God we have more than one rallying point. I love the men of the party, they are ever ready and willing to support us.
“We are about to start our congresses soon that will lead to the national convention. Gone are the days when we only support women for women leader position. It is our cry, it is our appeal to the men. They think about us but they just want us to speak with one voice. And I think this is what we are going to do here” Okotete said.
The APC women leader added that she has partnered International Republican Institute to come up with a lobby strategy to address all of the challenges confronting the women folk.
Emmanuel Ukoh
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