PUNCH NEWS

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has urged women to use the 2022 International Women’s Day coming up on Tuesday to protest against the gender policy of the All Progressives Congress controlled Federal Government.

Wike gave the charge at the civic reception organised in his honour by the Ekpeye ethnic nation at St Peter Catholic School field, Ahoada, in Ahoada East Local Government Area of the state on Saturday.

The governor said it was an APC controlled National Assembly that actually rejected the five gender bills that would have give women more opportunities in the political landscape.

According to him, the APC members, who are in majority in the National Assembly, are unwilling to amend the country’s constitution in order to give women requisite political opportunities.

Wike urged women to keep pace with their demand for legislative rights and used the occasion of the International Women’s Day to further demand for roles they should play in political administration in the country.

He stated, “I hear that on Tuesday there will be a celebration of the International Women’s Day. I ask Nigerian women, what are you celebrating? Other countries can celebrate their women, Nigeria cannot celebrate her women.

“Take that particular day and demonstrate against the APC, which has refused to recognise women in this country. Don’t go there and begin to dance; there is nothing to dance about until they recognise you. It is only when Nigeria recognises you that you can dance.”

Wike said presently in Rivers State, all the vice-chairmen of the 23 local government councils were women and every local government had at least five women Councillors.

The governor explained that he considered himself as part of Ekpeye land and could not ignore its development needs.

He stated that though Ekpeye kingdom was long forgotten, God’s appointed time had come and now six traditional stools had been upgraded to first class status.

The governor said his administration had fulfilled every promise made to Ekpeye people in terms of project delivery, because he was determined to transform Ahoada into a city.

Wike announced the award for reconstruction of the Ochigba/Ogbologbolo/Ozochi Road and the upgrade of the Ugbobi traditional stool to first class status.

Concerning governorship of the state, he said he did not believe in gifting power and urged any Ekpeye person, who thinks he had the capacity, to be ready to jostle for the office with others across the state.

In his welcome address, Chief E. C. Okorji said Ekpeye people were celebrating Wike because of the development projects he delivered in the kingdom.