By Douglas Okoro
Abakaliki – The All Progressives Congress (APC), women leaders in Ebonyi have urged women members of the party to resist all forms of intimidation, harassment and monetary inducements in the 2019 general elections.
They gave the advice on Wednesday in Abakaliki at a meeting held to sensitise APC women in Ebonyi, ahead of the 2019 polls.
The speakers said that the meeting was a platform to reach out to the women with a view to sensitising them on the need to participate actively in the forthcoming general elections.
They also said that the meeting provided a forum to engage the women as well as encourage them to resist vote buying, intimidation and harassment from desperate politicians.
One of the lead speakers and wife of the former governor of Ebonyi, Mrs Josephine Elechi, urged the women to shun vices that could make them compromise their conscience during the election.
She called on the women to participate actively in the 2019 electoral processes including going out to register, collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) as well as vote in the elections.
She warned them to be mindful of politicians allegedly going about collecting voter cards from the ‘unsuspecting’ members of the public in exchange for jobs, money and other material gifts.
She reminded the women that they have more voting population than any other voting group and urged them to use their votes wisely to elect leaders that would effect positive change in the society.
Mrs Elechi further advised them to ensure that their children and wards were not used for political thuggery, before, during and after the elections.
“We urge you the women of Ebonyi to resist all forms of intimidation, harassment and financial inducement during the 2019 general elections and ensure that you guard your voter cards.
“They will come to you with their usual bags of salt, maggi and money to buy your votes during the campaigns and elections and ask you to sell your PVCs; please resist and reject such inducement and advances.
“Do not engage in actions that will hinder the development of the state and mortgage the future of your children and those yet unborn.
“Those of us who are yet to register in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) should go and get registered in order to qualify to participate in choosing their representatives,” Elechi said.
She urged the women to continue supporting the President Muhammadu Buhari’s APC led Federal Government.
Earlier, Mrs Beatrice Nkwuda, convener of the meeting, noted that the meeting was aimed at sensitising the women and equipping them with right political attitude as 2019 elections draw closer.
Nkwuda, Zonal APC Women Leader, Ebonyi Central Senatorial District, said that women constituted the bulk of the voting population.
She emphasised that there could hardly be any successful elections without women being actively involved in the process.
Nkwuda, a Special Assistant to former Gov. Martin Elechi on Primary Education, said that the meeting provided a forum to brief the women on happenings in the party and Nigerians in general.
She said that knowledge gained at the meeting would enable the women to make informed decisions at the poll.
She appealed to the women not to sell their votes for any reason and urged them to continue with their support, loyalty and solidarity with President Buhari’s administration.
“Tell them when they come with their cups of rice, salt and other material and financial inducement that your votes are worth more than those ‘petty’ offers they are making in exchange for your votes.
“Women should come all out, shun intimidation, shun harassment and you are assured of adequate protection by security operatives as you come out to exercise your civic responsibility,” Nkwuda said.
Some participants at the meeting included Mrs Chinwe Onwe, Mrs Rachel Udenta and Veronica Elom.
