PDP Woman Leaders in the 17 Local Government Areas of Abia State on behalf of Woman Leaders across the 294 electoral wards, paid a solidarity visit to the Speaker, Abia State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Chinedum Orji, on Wednesday in Umuahia to congratulate him on his emergence as Speaker, describing him as a man “who believes in justice, equity and fair-play”.
The women were received by the Speaker at the Assembly Complex alongside other lawmakers.
Leader of the delegation, Lady Caroline Uzoije, congratulated the Speaker on behalf of all woman leaders across the 294 electoral wards, eulogized him as one “whom majority of Abians – women and youths in particular – can bear witness to your unparalleled antecedents in terms of human compassion, leadership excellence and people-oriented programmes geared towards cutting smiles on the faces of the lowly-placed, through private and later, legislative platforms”.
They also implored the lawmakers to lend their full support to the Speaker having given him the huge task of leading them in one accord, urging them to “work peacefully and in synergy with the executive and even the judiciary for the greater good of the generality of Abia constituents who gave you their mandate in trust”.
Continuing, they appealed to members of the Assembly to make new laws or reinforce existing ones to ensure greater participation and empowerment of women in the socio-political and economic scheme of things in the State, observing that the current House of Assembly has no single woman in it even as they emphasised that “women remain the highest mobilisers…in the history of political election. And ironically, they remain the most shortchanged and alienated in the long run.
“The Governor is in a hurry to further develop Abia, and he requires your total legislative prop to achieve that, just as you also require his for an achievement-packed Assembly; and that is indeed, our vanguard and major message in this august visit”, she concluded.
Responding, the Speaker, Rt Hon Chinedum Orji, thanked the women for the visit saying women are a very critical part of our politics without whom no one can win any election. He recalled how the women made enormous sacrifices in their respective locations during the last elections to ensure that those who won did so, describing them as a group of “politically sagacious and tenacious people”. He therefore assured them that apart from what he would do as a person, he would also ensure that the Assembly does everything within its powers to increase participation of women in the socio-economic and political space of the State.
On the current gale of investigations of government agencies by the Assembly, the Speaker assured them that it was not to witch hunt anyone but to ensure that the concerned parastatals were properly repositioned for greater efficiency, accountability and transparency following public outcry about their operations.
“It is our responsibility to support and help the Governor who is the leader of the State, the government and also the PDP in the State, to succeed. His success is also our success.
“Throughout my political history, I have always stood for equity and fairness and that is why I joined political stakeholders in the State to insist that Abia South has to take its own turn after the remaining two constituencies had had their turns, hence, the emergence of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu. It therefore behooves on us to help him succeed”
The Speaker further told the women that apart from making laws which is their primary responsibility, members of the current House of Assembly are also making provision for projects that have direct bearing on their constituents a priority. “This House will not disappoint the people,” he said!
Present with the Speaker were the Deputy Speaker, Rt Hon Ifeanyi Uchendu, Hon Jerry Uzosike, Hon Abraham Oba, Hon Aaron Uzodike and Hon Allen Nwachukwu
