The Imo State women under the aegis of Imo Women Frontier (IWF), have condemned in a very strong term what they believe to be a calculated plot to further marginalize the female folks by denying Hon Ngozi Obiefule, her hard earned victory as member-elect for Isu state constituency during the March 9, 2019, Governorship and House Assembly elections in the area.
Addressing the press in Owerri, the President of the group, High Chief (Mrs) Maria Nwadialu, on behalf of Imo women frowned at the development which she said tends to discourage women’s active participation in politics and exposes the insincerity of some desperate politicians even at a time like this when the entire world yearns for a paradigm shift.
They argued that in the Nigerian electoral process, women are known for their pivotal roles in entrenching good governance, engendering dividends of democracy and wondered why some greed men especially among the present political class in our various communities who rather than see women as partners in progress, treat them with disdain and contempt as if they are threats to their stranglehold to power, will want to scuttle her victory.
Mrs Nwadialu in an emotion laden voice called on men of good conscience to condemn the present attempt to frustrate this widow who according to her, has done well for her people to deserve a second term, which the Isu electorate have so far expressed through their votes, as demonstrated.
She added that, during the polls on March 9, 2019, at Isu LGA, “we understand that Obiefule is leading her closest rival with 2319 votes which ordinarily, INEC should have declared her winner but failed to do that. We are watching and we shall resist any attempt to rig the election.
Any such attempt is an attempt to render the female folks in Imo voiceless at the State Assembly. It is even more worrisome that the previous administrations accommodated women. For instance, the 7th House had three female legislators which we even said was not upto 35 percent women affirmative action.
Information reaching us has it that Obiefule’s opponents are working with some INEC adhoc staff to upturn her victory ”, she fumed.
You recall that,during the just concluded election, INEC had cancelled 15 polling booths in Isu LGA with Hon Obiefule, the current lawmaker who is seeking re-election leading her closest rival with 2319 votes. The booths in which the Saturday election is to be conducted are mainly areas which are believed to be her strongholds. As revealed, she had won the election in all of these booths but was shocked that they were cancelled.
Altogether, Obiefule scored 6001, beating her closet rival, Modestus Orisakwe, to a distant second position, with a margin of 2319 votes. With outstanding 4140 PVCs collected, she has already coasted home to victory before greedy political merchants, who accused her of concentrating more on the electorate, without sharing money with them stepped in to scuttle her deserved victory.
