THE All Progressives Congress (APC) has exempted female aspirants who wish to contest elections on the party’s platform from paying fees for nomination forms.
This was disclosed by the National Women’s Leader of the party, Betta Edu, during a press briefing on Thursday.
Edu called on women across the country to take advantage of the opportunity and run for political offices in the forthcoming 2023 general elections using the APC platform.
READ ALSO:
NNPC calls for special court to prosecute oil theft, laments loss of $1.5bn to vandals
Court refuses to sack Ayade, deputy for defecting to APC
Nnamdi Kanu to be prosecuted in secret, trial venue moves to CCT
Amid options in equity, idle assets, DMO defends borrowing, as debt rises to N39.6trn
“The party has gone ahead to approve that women will be running with free nomination forms. The party has thrown the ball to our court,” she said.
She encouraged women to take advantage of the opportunity to get actively involved in the political process.
“We must be actively involved in the processes leading to the 2023 general elections. We must register as voters and go door to door to remind women and others to register.
“Please, tell your sisters, tell your mothers and tell the next woman to you, it is time to join APC and deliver for the Nigerian women,” she said.
This development comes a few weeks after several women groups across Nigeria protested against non-inclusion in governance and decision-making.
The protests had begun after five bills that sought to promote women’s inclusion in governance and society were struck out by members of the National Assembly during voting for constitutional amendment.
The women had gathered at the National Assembly gate in Abuja and other cities in the country in protest, describing the rejection as disappointing and backward.
After several days of protest, the House of Representatives rescinded its decision on three of the bills and recommitted them to the Committee of the Whole for reconsideration.
The three bills include those seeking to establish 35 per cent affirmative action for women in politics, grant the status of indigene to women married across state borders in the country and provide for citizenship by registration for foreign-born husbands of Nigerian women.
Ijeoma Opara is a journalist with The ICIR. Reach her via [email protected] or @ije_le on Twitter.