The recent pronouncement by Governor Umo Eno that Vice Chairmanship positions be reserved for women in the forth-coming local government election in Akwa Ibom State has sparked uproar among stakeholders and faithful of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
In a bid to entrench gender sensitivity and encourage the women folk into politics, the governor had recently made a public pronouncement to the PDP that all positions of vice chairmanship be reserved for women.
While it has generated applause for the governor and increased involvement of women, the pronouncement has provoked heated controversy and discontentment among PDP stalwarts, especially those who eyed the positions as compensation for loyalty and support for the party.
A former state officer of the party, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the governor’s choice lacked democratic content and people’s consent.
According to him, if the governor dictates to indigenes of local government on who should be their vice chairman, the party will suffer internal crises.
A PDP youth leader from Eket Local Government, Tony Edoho, said the policy will expose the PDP to electoral misfortune. In his reason, he said the vice chairmanship candidate, who is always the running mate to the chairman, has significant and critical roles, which can hardly be performed effectively by a woman, except in rare cases.
He said the “Chairman’s running mate represents his boss at all meetings in the day and night. ”You know politics, sometimes emergencies come at night or at odd places and times and this is not okay for women, especially married ones. The governor should have allowed the people to choose who they want. If they want women, he should allow them to choose the kind of woman, who will be able to mobilize support and do the job of a chairman’s running mate. This policy will create problems in some local governments”.
On the other hand, a PDP chieftain and vice chairman of Nigeria Institute of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, Akwa Ibom chapter, ESV Kufre Ufot, described the development as encouraging. In his view, the idea will encourage the women and create a sense of belonging among them.
He advised party faithful to refrain from making mountains out of mould hills and to see the development as political innovation and functional inclusiveness that will boost democratic ideals in the PDP.
