Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has urged women to use the 2022 International Women’s Day celebration on Tuesday to protest against the gender policy of the All Progressives Congress (APC) controlled Federal Government.
Governor Wike gave the charge at the civic reception organised in his honour by the Ekpeye ethnic nation at St. Peter Catholic School Field, Ahoada Town in Ahoada East Local Government Area on Saturday.
The governor said it is an APC controlled National Assembly that actually rejected the five gender bills that would have given women more political opportunities.
According to him, APC members who are in majority were unwilling to amend the country’s constitution in order to give women requisite political opportunity.
Governor Wike urged women to keep pace with their demand for legislative rights and used the occasion of 2022 International Women’s Day to further demand for roles they should play in political administration in the country.
“I hear on Tuesday there will be celebration of International Women’s Day. I ask Nigerian women, what are you celebrating? Other countries can celebrate their women, Nigeria cannot celebrate their women,” he said.
“Take that particular day, demonstrate against APC which has refused women to be recognised 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, then you can dance,” he added.
Governor Wike said presently in Rivers state, all the vice chairmen of the 23 councils are women and every local government has at least five councilors as women.
