Women seeking to run for office on the platform of the All Progressives Congress will not be required to pay for nomination forms.
That’s according to the party’s National Women Leader, Dr Betta Edu who briefed journalists at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja.
Dr Edu said the decision was taken in line with the APC’s resolve to encourage participation of women in politics.
She said this development will afford women the opportunity to contest freely for elective positions so as to give them a chance to contribute meaningfully to the development of the nation.
According to her, “Before now we had women who say ‘we cannot afford the form, we are vulnerable, we are unable,’ but now you have been given the platform with the greatest chance of emerging as a winner of an election because you will be running on the ticket of the ruling party.”
35% Affirmative Action
Speaking on the 35% affirmative action for women, Dr Edu said the party will leverage on the court ruling which mandated compulsory 35% allocation of offices to women in governance.
She also pledged to mobilise women for the party ahead of the 2023 General Election.
“We would mobilize women from the grassroot to the top,” she said.
“It is one thing to have a judgement, it is another thing to have that party poised to implement. Before we read about the court ruling our party had already mainstreamed women.”
She appealed to women to seize the opportunity and dominate the political space in the next general election.
