NUJ, NAWOJ laud Ebonyi speaker for choosing female running mate

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Ebonyi state chapter, Thursday, commended the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Chief Francis Nwifuru, for nominating a woman as his running mate for the 2023 governorship election.

NAWOJ Ebonyi state through its Chairperson, Comrade Nkechinyere Oginyi, had last week urged governorship candidates of various political parties in the state and other parts of the country to choose women as their running mates to engender equity, justice, and fairness.

Nwifuru, who is a candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the governorship race on Wednesday, named Mrs. Patricia Obila the Vice Chairman of Afikpo North Local Government Area of the state as his running mate.

Reacting to the nomination of the woman, the state Chairman of NUJ and NAWOJ, Comrades Tony Nwizi and Nkechinyere Oginyi hailed the development.

Nwizi said “it is a thing of joy that in this present administration of Engr. Chief David Umahi, a lot of things are taking place. Just getting to the tail end of his administration, the Governor has promised that he is going to empower the youths to take over from him and rule Ebonyi State in the best interest of all of us. he started with the support for the Governorship candidate of his party, the APC, Rt. Hon Ogbanna Nwifuru the Speaker of the state House of Assembly.

“The Speaker bought forms the governorship primaries of the APC was screened and he won the primaries. And then, we are still talking about who becomes the Deputy Governor, the Speaker picked Hon. Patricia Abila.

“He picked someone nobody quite expected and it is a thing of joy that anything good can come from anywhere. So, the nomination of Hon. Patricia Obila to become the Deputy Governor is a welcome development and accord praises to the Governorship candidate for having that mindset we at the same time thank the Chairperson of NAWOJ, Ebonyi State chapter, Comrade Nkechinyere Oginyi who advocated for Women Deputy Governors. She has just motivated the politicians to know what is good and as media people, who called the shot and direct the agenda, and how it moves, we have started leading by example in Ebonyi State and that shows that the leaders in Ebonyi State listen to the media”.

On her part, Oginyi said, “it is a thing of joy that the APC governorship candidate for 2023 general elections in the state, Hon. Ogbonnaya Nwifuru picked a woman, the Vice Chairman of Afikpo North LGA as his running mate for the governorship election.