The vice-presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, has said the struggle to change the All Progressives Congress (APC) government in 2027 depends on women.
Amaechi, who spoke at the unveiling of the ADC National Women League Conference in Abuja on Wednesday, recalled that the fight for the liberation of South Africa was greatly done by women.
“The reason is, any time men came out, South African whites would kill them. But if you bring out women, if you kill only two, international community will come out.
“So the struggle to take away the APC from government is 90 per cent dependent on our women,” he said.
He disclosed that when the All Progressives Congress (APC) wanted to remove the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from government in 2015, “We brought out the women. In every state we went to, women were in front.
“We spoke to them, we met with them at night, and we made sure that we told them that if they did not come out to vote, we would not win. And they came out. We fought the war, and we won.”
The former Minister of Transportation accused the APC of pauperising Nigerians, stating that when he served in late President Muhammadu Buhari’s government, the number of out-of-school children was between 10 and 12 million.
“Today, there are 20 million out of school,” he stated, and said that 80 per cent of them are from the north.
Amaechi stated if all the women in the north should come out to vote and defend their vote, APC would be removed from government in 2027.
He commended the women for organising the programme, and charged them to go to their wards to mobilise voters for the ADC, and assured them of the support of the presidential campaign council.
“We know that we will get to the villa, and your reaction clearly shows that because you are the first to be impacted by bad government, the women, the children, you suffer more.
“I’m happy that in that spirit, you have reasoned to lead the charge to make sure that this present administration is decapitated and thrown out of the villa,” Amaechi stated.
The wife of the ADC presidential candidate, Hajiya Titi Atiku-Abubakar, urged the women not to allow anybody to intimidate them from voting for the party.
“Women, you should not be shy. Don’t let anybody to intimidate you. Don’t allow them to come and tell you or to scare you away. It is democracy. Democracy is for the people and by the people. So we have to take it,” she said.
Titi decried the cost of living in the country and blamed it on the policies of the ruling party.
“Most of our children are not in school because the cost of living is so expensive,” she said, and urged them to sell their votes during the election.
“Don’t let them come and buy you food. This rice they are giving, how long is it going to last? Even if they give you N50,000, how long is this N50,000 going to last?
“Yousaw on television (and) read on social media that the way Osun was to be taken by force. They collected their monies, and they refused to vote.
“So, I implore you, women, go there and fight for your rights. Go there and fight for your children. Go there and fight for the generation yet unborn. If we don’t do this, the generation coming will be a curse on us.
“Enough of the deceit. They are just deceiving us with all these policies. And they will tell us it is going to be better. When is it going to be better? Is it when we are in our graves?
“So, women, arise and shine, because this is an opportunity for the women. And we have to make the best use of this opportunity,” she challenged them.
