Kogiflame
As we approach the 2023 general elections in the state and bringing out our voters cards once again to recruit our leadership resources to represent us in the legislature for the next political dispensation.
It is important this time around for us in the Otukpo/Akpa state constituency to do things differently by reflecting on a new way to lead us to developments in all it’s ramifications.This is important because not doing things differently this time around would signal our approval of the old ways of recruiting our leadership that has continually lead our development to a standstill for so long.
At many politically, it is appalling that we have relegated competence with the destructive political nomenclature called rotation when the world all over are talking about affirmation in politics.It is therefore important for us this time around to think about giving our women an opportunity to represent us for once because of the many positives we can achieve from their leadership.
We need to, this time around break the jinx of not looking towards the women when it comes to giving the women a chance to represent us in the state house of assembly as our legislature.
This is because the world over and Nigeria inclusive there is a growing recognition of the need of constituencies to tap unto the UNTAPPED leadership capacity and talent of the women in politics because of it’s many advantages.
In Benue state over the last two decades of our democracy, the rates of women Representatives in the legislature of the state has incrementally increased from 11% in 1999 to 27% in 2019 with the exception of the Otukpo/Akpa constituency which has never made any deliberate effort to politically empowered the women in this regard.
The increase in the state percentages of women voted into the Benue state legislature is still well below the 30% level of representation to achieve a “critical mass”-a considerable minority of all legislators with significant impact rather than a token of few individuals-not to mention falling short of women representation as half of the state population.
The next election gives us an opportunity to correct our political non-recognition of the women.We are appealing to the conscience of the Otukpo/Akpa voters that this time around we must look towards the women in choosing our next legislature as they are today ably represented by the capable (Amb) Ene Attah,the candidate of the New Nigerian People’s Party,NNPP.
This is because voting and supporting her would signal the end of an era where the men have subjugated the women to the political wilderness constraining their contribution to the constituency development effort to the beginning of an era where our women are giving a voice and a chance to a full and equitable participation to public life which is essential to building and sustaining a strong,vibrant and development oriented constituency for our development in all it’s ramifications.
This is Germain this time around because as we go into the next election, the meaningful participation of the women in political and community leadership has become an important focus today in national and the state development policy and our constituency must not be an exception.
Some may ask why it matters that this time around we give the women the chance to represent us in the state legislature and in the political aspects of the Otukpo/Akpa constituency as represented by (Amb)Eneh Attah?.
The answer is simple and it is very clear.Her being elected by God’s grace would result easily in tangible gains for our development because all her life has been about the people and this is true because she has been involved in non-governmental organisations giving hope to the less previlaged class in the society for such a long time and in the process understanding the needs of the common man and women.
Her candidature represents an opportunity for us to get a new type of political dispensation where everybody counts including greater responsiveness to the people’s needs,increase developments across party lines,and a more sustainable future for the people because of her NGO’s background,she is the best prepared for the job.
Her being elected will help advance gender equality and positively affects both the range of policy issues that gets considered and the type of solutions that are proposed.Research indicates that whether a legislature is male or female has a distinct impact on the policy priorities of a given political area.
There is a strong evidence that as more women are elected as legislatures there is a corollary increase in policy making that emphasizes quality of life and reflects the priorities of families and women and youth realities and this is what (Amb)Ene Attach represents today.
She is coming into the legislature to raise issues that have been long overlooked,to support ideas that others oppose and to seek an end to abuses others accepts that for so long hindered our developments as a people.If voted into the legislature this time around,we would find out that more than others, she would; Work across party lines.
Be responsive to constituents demands
*Help through development secure lasting peace and developments.
*Encourage through her performances her constituents confidence in democracy through their own participation
Prioritize health, education,and other key developments indicators.
We in the Otukpo/Akpa constituency needs to support her because her political engagements are crucial because women are not a homogenous group.Depended on whether women are young or old,educated or uneducated,live in rural or urban areas,they have very different life experiences that leads to different priorities or needs.This is not to state that voting a woman as our legislature this time around is the only factor,but it is a critical factor at this time for the developments of inclusiveness, responsive and transparent representation as represented by (Amb)Ene Attah.
So,the question is why is (Amb)Ene Attah in politics?.She wants to represent the positive impacts the women brings into politics as mother’s which many knows is undeniable.Study after study have taught us that there is no tool for development more effective than the empowerment of women with political power.
No other policy is as powerful in increasing and raising economic productivity,reduce child and mortality and education in the next generation than the empowerment of the women with political position.In Oturkpo/Akpa today we should no longer waste a precious resources in the dramatic under representations of women in leadership position which often results in the total exclusion of women’s talents and skills in our political life.
Male and female legislature must mix to work together in other to solve the myraid of problems confronting our state.In order for to meet the state development goals and build strong,sustainable progress for our people it is time we election a woman who knows the way
By voting (Amb)Ene Attach,we are unleashing her to go confront our many developmental problems because a vote for her would serve as the largest campaign yet to combat the patronizing narratives about women in politics with messages of empowerments and this is because women often have the most to lose from destabilisation and conversely the most to gain from stability.
Therefore, her motivation is far less likely to be married with a profit or power motive,so it makes plain sense for her to be at the table as our voice in the legislature not only from an egalitarian point of view but from a political one.She is always happy to be an influencer to deliver for the people and coming to mend the Otukpo/Akpa development foundation which has long been broken by inept representation.
Simon Obochi
Secretary NNPP
Oturkpo LGA
