. Technicalities to stop her from leadership position unacceptable – Comfort
.’She’s candidate to beat, already altering the political dynamics, rattling the space’
TOM GARBA, Yola
Hundreds of Women in Adamawa State have taken to the streets of Yola, the state capital, to protest what they described as “court technicalities” targeted at stopping Senator Aishatu Dahiru Binani, the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate.
The women in their numbers staged a peaceful walk, chanting, “Sai Binani!” while holding placards with the inscription, “No Woman, No Nation. It’s her mandate, give it back to her” and fuming at the judgement of the High Court in Yola targeted at stopping women from holding leadership positions.
The peace walk was organised by the Adamawa State chapter of Women in Politics, which addressed journalists, expressing their dismay and vehemently kicked against the marginalisation of women in the political space, especially by political parties which tend to deliberately put obstacles on the path of the female gender during the primary election that saw Binani as winner.
Comfort Ezra, the leader of the women’s group, at a press conference immediately after the rally, told newsmen that the recent court judgement delivered by the Federal High Court sitting in Yola, which refused to uphold the election of Binani, the only female governorship candidate in Nigeria for the 2023 general elections, was a wake-up call to all women in Nigeria.
According to Mrs. Ezra, the call is not to Adamawa women alone, it’s a call on all women across the country to ensure that she is not ripped off her mandate using technicalities.
The women leader, who led the peaceful walk chanting solidary songs for Senator Aisha, said the victory by Binani had rattled the menfolk not only in APC, and the technicalities of seeking to refuse her the ticket through the court was a deliberate effort by her male counterparts to stop women from becoming leaders and they considered it an affront to all women.
She said, “We do not understand why the men whom she defeated with a wide margin of votes will not display sportsmanship and accept the verdict of the people but seek to use the courts to upturn the mandate popularly and transparently entrusted to Senator Binani.
“We are calling on all women across Nigeria to lend their voices and stand firm to see that Senator Binani’s mandate is not thwarted through the backdoor. Binani’s mandate is a mandate for every woman and all women should arise to protect the mandate.
“In as much as we are law-abiding and respect our courts of law, we are calling on the higher court to do justice in the case without fear or favour. Because we believe that the court of law is the last hope of the common people,” Comfort said
She added that the APC should also stand by Binani because recent events have proved that she’s the candidate to beat in the Adamawa governorship election of 2023.
“You all might want to know why the PDP Government in Adamawa swiftly replaced her deputy governor candidate with a woman immediately Binani won the APC Governorship primary election. The fear of Binani is the beginning of the catch-up strategy.
” we urged women stakeholders in the political space to rise and defend the women by protecting the mandate duly given to Binani.
“We must all remember that women are nation builders and can adequately manage resources and deliver on the needs of the people,” Ezra added