The Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) has advised eligible women in the party to take advantage of its women-friendly policies and run for various elective positions in 2023.
The party gave the advice in a statement by its national female leader, Professor Stella Effah-Attoe, in Abuja on Monday.
Effah-Attoe called on women in the party to come forward to be counted in the Nigerian political leadership space.
“The Office of Women National Leaders urges PDP Women to rise to the occasion by going out and acquiring their expression of interest forms and their nomination forms for the various elective offices at the state and national levels.
“It is one thing that the PDP has created the enabling environment for women to participate in Nigerian politics, and it is another thing for the women of the PDP to take advantage of this positive gesture.
“Therefore, I urge all eligible PDP women to collect their expression of interest forms and nomination forms without further delay.
“It will be of interest to our women to know, as previously announced by the National Labor Committee (NWC), that the PDP maintains the status quo to support women.
“Women should only purchase their Expression of Interest forms with a token. The application form, which is expensive, is for women to acquire at no cost, that is, it is free.
“This is to encourage as many women as possible to participate in the electoral process with a view to winning elections to the chambers of the state assembly, the house of representatives, the senate, governorships, and the presidency.”
Effah-Attoe recalled that the initial deadline for purchasing expression of interest forms and nomination forms was April 1, which the NWC extended to April 8.
The leader encouraged more PPD women to step forward and take advantage of the extension, to acquire their forms.
He said the most eligible women who come out to get their forms will determine the number of women who will participate in the party’s primaries.
According to Effah-Attoe, the number of women who will participate in the party’s primaries will determine the percentage of women who will eventually emerge as party candidates.
“The achievement of 35 percent of Affirmative Action in PDP comes from somewhere.
“In this case, it starts from the acquisition of the expression of interest and nomination forms”,
She urged PDP women to get down to business in holding consultations, mobilizing, educating voters and creating support groups for themselves and for the party.
The leader urged them to do this in their voting units, districts, local government areas, and states, since elections are won from the bottom up.