The First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, said Tuesday that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party will still be in control 60 years hence, re-echoing the controversial statement made by a former chairman of the party Mr Vincent Ogbulafor some few years back.
The First Lady, who was represented by the Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Zainab Maina, spoke at the party’s women rally in Sokoto on Tuesday.
Ogbulafor’s controversial statement attracted a deluge of reactions and has remained a reference point for the party’s self-conceited perception of the country’s political landscape.
According to Jonathan, who is seen in many quarters as a controversial figure, said Nigerian women had got their fare share and attention in Jonathan’s administration by holding about 50 per cent of the posts.
Reeling out some of the achievements of her husband’s administration, she said that “the President has fulfilled all the promises he has made to Nigerian women in 2011 and he will do more if re-elected.”
The First Lady also said that the President had 13 women in his cabinet and empowered women in a myriad of ways, adding that he President was also working tirelessly to curb the menace of insurgency.
The president’s wife extolled women in the state for their sustained support to the PDP, and urged them collect their Permanent Voter Cards.
“Your PVCs are your power, which will help you to cast your votes for the PDP candidates at all levels,” she said. This, Dame Jonathan said, would ensure that women were not disenfranchised to vote.
The First Lady also called on mothers in the state not to allow their children to be used to cause a breach of the peace before, during and after the general elections. Meanwhile, Dame Jonathan has started the distribution of some empowerment materials to women in the state.
The materials included 1,200 bags of rice, 5,000 wrappers, 5,000 bundles of guinea brocade, 800 women wears, 2,000 rubber mats, 800 children’s wears and 800 blankets.
Culled from: The Eagle Online
