Francis Sadhere
The member representing Uvwie, Sapele and Okpe Federal Constituency in the Federal House of Representatives, Hon. (Barrister) Evelyn Oboro, has called for more women in politics, saying that women are great administrators.
The lawmaker stated this weekend, at the maiden meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Women politicians in Delta Central, held at the residence of Chief Emuobonuvie Judith Enamuotor, member PDP Board of Trustees, in Enerhen, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State.
According to Hon. Oboro, she was the only Urhobo Woman to have risen to become a lawmaker in Delta Central, lamenting that she was not comfortable with the way Urhobo Women sat at home and allow the men to hold sway in the polity of the state.
She said women who had been given opportunity in politics have proven to the world that they are good administrators and human resource managers, adding that women in politics were declining at a very alarming rate.
She said; “The Governor said that women were the ones who really do the major campaigning and canvassing and he will want us to continue to work hard so that we will reap the fruits of our labour, even more than we deserve this time. So what we have done is that we have invited grassroots female politicians who are recognized in their units, wards and local government areas; people who have address in their local governments and their wards where they play politics. We are not looking for politicians who play politics in the air; their wards and their units are inside their bags. That is not the type of politics we want to play this time around.”
Barrister Oboro, former Uvwie Local Government Chairman, called on PDP women in Delta Central to be united, stressing that it was only when they were united that they will be able to come out strong and rub shoulders with the men in politics.
She disclosed that it was Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan who asked her to hold the meeting with the PDP women in Delta Central and bring them back as one fold to make the party stronger, revealing that the governor had promised to give more women opportunities in politics if only they come out to vie for political positions.
She said; “Our leader, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan has called on female politicians to regroup and form a formidable force. We already have this force but we are doing this earlier than we used to. What we are trying to do is lubricating the system. We are activating the women and we are bringing them together to work as a team; we are amalgamating and coming together so that at the end of the day we will all queue behind the candidate of our choice.”
“We want women politicians who have addresses in Delta Central Senatorial District and the wards they claim they belong to so that when we go out there, we will know that you can canvass to your neighbours; not on election day we will find only two votes from your constituency and those who are working hard will bring thousands and you will join us and start dancing with us and sing that we have won. The governor told us that gone are the days when women are just used as cosmetics and campaign materials. He knows that we worked hard and this time around he wants to give us more recognition and that is the reason why we are regrouping today,” she added.
When asked if PDP women had being asked to support a female governorship aspirant, the Federal lawmaker said the Governor did not tell them to support any candidate and that it was too early in the day to drum support for any candidate.
She said; “We are not even sure of when the primaries will hold. The governor of Delta State did not tell us to work for anyone. This is our party and we love our party. We are sensitizing members of our party and we are even winning more members to our party. And that is also one of the responsibilities of this group.”
Also speaking at the meeting, Chief Emuobonuvie Judith Enamuotor urged PDP women in Delta Central to be united and come out for political offices, adding that the Urhobo women can bring honour to the Urhobo nation.
She advised PDP women in Delta Central to stand as pillars behind their husbands, just as she implored the women to support and emulate Hon. Oboro and be actively involved in politics.
