…And Sokoto Women Say Yes to Jonathan
Peoples Democratic Party women in Sokoto State recently endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan for another term in office, writes Mohammed Aminu
March 3, 2015 was a unique day for women in Sokoto State. It was the day women across the 23 local government areas of the state besieged the Giginya Memorial Stadium to show support and solidarity with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan over his second term bid. Although the rally has come and gone, the memory of the event will obviously linger.
The PDP women rally was symbolic and underscored the role and importance that women play in nation-building. The rally also re-emphasised the greater need for women in national development, as no government will ever again ignore women as important national assets for fostering peace and unity. This has further driven home the truth that no meaningful development can take place without the integration of women into it.
The large turnout of women at the rally in Sokoto took many by surprise due to the wrong perception that Northerners may not vote for Jonathan in the March 28 presidential election. But the mammoth crowd that thronged the rally had put paid to such insinuations, which was an indication that the women are keen in supporting Jonathan’s re-election to enable him continue with his “transformation agenda”.
The entourage of the First Lady, Patience Jonathan was visibly overwhelmed by the tumultuous crowd and could not hide their joy at the level of support and enthusiasm shown to them by the women. Their surprise may not be unconnected with the vehement opposition to Jonathan’s re-election bid by a section of prominent Northern leaders, who have been working against his return to the presidency.
The rally which was organised by the Sokoto PDP was meant to build bridges of unity among the party members and galvanise women in the state to support Jonathan’s aspiration. The rally also provided an opportunity for the First Lady to distribute many goodies.
This include 1200 bags of rice, 5,000 bundles of brocade, 5,000 wrappers, 800 women wears 800 blankets, 2000 rubber mats and 800 children wears to the women in the state as part of her commitment and support towards empowering women in the country. This was done with the belief that an empowered woman would be in a better position to impact positively on the living conditions of her family.
Addressing the women at the Giginya Memorial Stadium, the First Lady said Nigerian women had got their fair share and attention under Jonathan’s administration by holding 35 per cent of the posts. She said Jonathan’s administration had accorded priority to women empowerment, gave 35 per cent of the ministerial position to women as well as distributed free fertiliser and provided soft loans to them in the country. “The president has fulfilled all the promises he has made to Nigerian women in 2011 and he will do more if re-elected,” she said.
She averred that President Goodluck Jonathan was not behind the Boko Haram insurgency, contrary to false messages being peddled by the opposition in the North and maintained that there was no way the president would sponsor certain individuals to destabilise his administration because of the quest for power.
According to her, Nigeria is not the only country affected by insurgency in the world, adding that Iraq was facing the same challenge of terrorism being perpetrated by the Islamic State of Iraq (ISIS). The First Lady, who was represented by the Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Zainab Maina, declared that the PDP would continue to rule Nigeria for the next 60 years.
She emphasised that Boko Haram started even before the emergence of Jonathan as the president, adding that the ongoing war against the insurgents has begun to yield, as many towns had already been captured by the military in the North-east.
“Jonathan is a victim of circumstance. The ongoing battle against the Boko Haram insurgents is succeeding and he is doing his best to tackle the problem. The truth of the matter is that there is no way Jonathan will sponsor terrorists to destabilise his government, as it is being peddled by the opposition to deceive our people in the North. Is it Jonathan that is sponsoring ISIS in Iraq and Syria?”
The First Lady further said it was in view of the need to empower women in the state that she distributed 1200 bags of rice, 5,000 bundles of brocade, 5,000 wrappers, 800 women’s wears, 800 blankets, 2000 rubber mats and 800 children wears to the women in the 23 local government areas of the state.
She called on Sokoto women to come out en masse and vote for Jonathan in the forthcoming elections in order to continue with the transformation agenda. While commending women in the state for their sustained support to the PDP, she urged them to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
“Your PVCs are your power which will help you to cast your votes for the PDP candidates at all levels,” she said, adding that this would ensure that women were not disenfranchised to vote. The first lady also called on mothers in the state not to allow their children to be used to cause a breach of peace before, during and after the general election.
In her remark, a former Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Inna Ciroma, said only PDP could save Nigeria and advised the women not to allow themselves to be deceived by the APC that are busy spreading false messages against Jonathan in the North. She claimed that the presidential candidate of the APC, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, would not bring the desired change in the country but lead Nigeria to backwardness.
“I have seen it all and I am here to inform you that Buhari will not bring the desired change. We suffered a lot in 1984 when he arrested my husband and detained him in prison but later released him after realising that he did not embezzle public funds. I was also arrested and interrogated for several hours and later released. So, don’t be deceived by the APC because they will only take us backwards,” she said.
The former minister therefore appealed to Nigerians, especially women not to be deceived, saying the re-election of Jonathan would ensure the continuation of his transformation agenda.
Hajiya Ciroma, who was also former National Woman Leader of the PDP, called on the Nigerian women to use their population strength and voting power to re-elect Jonathan in the March 28 presidential election.
Special Assistant to the President on Women Empowerment, Hajiya Ramatu Bala Usman, urged the women to pick their permanent voter cards and cast their vote for Jonathan. She noted that the North had produced many leaders that ruled Nigeria in the past but left the region in poverty, saying only PDP could salvage Nigeria.
Hajiya Bala, who was the former National President of National Council for Nigerian Women Society said Jonathan’s re-election would ensure the sustenance of peace, unity and national cohesion.
Also, the Special Adviser to the President on Ethics, Mrs. Sarah Jibril, said the president had treated the North-west fairly and deserved to be re-elected. She pointed out that Jonathan had accorded priority to the welfare of women in the country and deserved to be re-elected.
“Jonathan is the first gender-friendly president Nigeria has ever produced since independence and the First Lady cares about the Nigerian woman and is passionate about improving the lives of the Nigerian children and other vulnerable groups,” she stressed.
Wife of the PDP governorship candidate in the state, Hajiya Aishatu Abdallah Wali, assured the First Lady that Sokoto women would vote massively for Jonathan in the forthcoming election.
The wife of the Deputy Governor in the state, Hajiya Kulu Mukhtar Shagari, said the large turnout of women at the rally was an indication that majority of women were behind the PDP in the forthcoming general election. She promised that Sokoto women would vote for Jonathan and the party’s candidates at all levels in the state.
On her part, wife of the Chairman of the PDP in the state, Hajiya Sa’adiya Milgoma, said no fewer than 750 women from the APC across the 23 local government areas in the state defected to the PDP.
The defectors were led by Luba Dubai, an APC chieftain and received by Sa’adiya Milgoma who stated that the new entrants would be treated equally and fairly and that they should all work hard to ensure the success of the party at the forthcoming polls at all levels.