Stop insulting politicians, Ita-Giwa tells delegates

Senator Florence Ita-Giwa yesterday at the National Conference warned delegates making “derogatory” remarks against politicians to stop the insults and appreciate the role politicians have played to sustain the country.

Mrs Ita-Giwa, who reacted to allegations that a delegate went on national television Wednesday night to question the competence of Mrs Josephine Anenih to head a committee because she was a politician, said politicians have made sacrifices for the country.

“I think this must stop; the insult on politicians must stop and people should stop making derogatory remarks on politicians,” she said.

“I am tired of hearing that this one is a politician; this one is that; who has given you a country. I have spent 23 years of my life trying to contribute to sustain this country and sustain democracy. Who has given you people a country, it is the politicians.

“Whether we like it or not, we are in a democratic dispensation and it took many years of people suffering, contesting elections after elections, suffering from military interventions, giving their lives, detentions, incarcerations and everything for us to get to where we are today,” she said.

Earlier, Chidinma Uwajumogu had complained to the plenary another delegate Ramatu Usman had told television station that she was a better candidate for the position because she was trained on gender issues abroad.

Uwajumogu told fellow delegates that Anenih is a lawyer of many years standing in addition to obtaining a bachelor of Education from “Great Ife” in 1976.