From Rhoda Godwin, Yenagoa
The Mayor of Yenagoa Local government Area of BAYELSA state, Hon. Nimizuo Uroupaye has commended the efforts of the Standup for Women Society (SWS) for embarking on sensitization walk on operation show your permanent voters cards (PVC) in Yenagoa.
The Mayor while commending them said the sensitization walk is a welcome development to Yenagoa local government and indeed BAYELSA state.
Uroupaye made the commendation during a sensitization walk organized by the Standup for Women Society, SWS Bayelsa Chapter in mobilizing and educating the masses especially the market women on Registration and Collection of their PVCs for the forthcoming general elections.
According to him, “many times women felt that elections is only for the men, but today this group (SWS) has come out openly to Standup for the women. I supported them because I felt it’s a good thing. I always support good things”.
“Today a lot of women are doing better than so many men because many women have gotten the orientation that they are not meant for the kitchen alone. So I love the programme which is also is organized by women.”
He said so many people don’t even go to INEC to be registered and those that have done so do not bothered to go and collect their voters cards thinking that good leaders is by selection and so they stay away from participating which is not good for our polity.
“In this exercise today, I am the most beneficiary as the Mayor of Yenagoa Local government than other chairmen. So, I joined them to make sure the sensitization walk is successful. I salute their courage and the SWS have to come to stay.
For them coming out to sensitize our people to go and register and collect their PVC is a good thing to BAYELSA and mostly Yenagoa Local government. So many people are just in all the various markets across the state not knowing that having their PVC will make them to vote for good governance that will develop the market and improve on their businesses. So I will continue to support the women for the sensitization activities”.
Also speaking, the Head of Voters Education Independent National Electoral Commission, Wilfred Ifogah, applauded the SWS for carrying out the sensitization walk, Saying INEC cannot do it alone.
Ifogah said INEC need more organisation like SWS to join in sensitizing the people especially at the grassroot levels that there activities will impact directly to the communities especially the women.
” The commission has extended the registration date to the 31st of July this Month and also the working hours of the staff from 9am to 3 pm before to 9am to 5pm to enable everyone that have not registered to do so and for those that have registered to go and collect their permanent voters cards”.
In her solidarity message, the chairman of Gender Response Initiative Team ( GRIT) Barr. Dise Ogbise, said the sensitization walk is symbolic because the SWS has made a loud statement by talking to Bayelsans the need for them to come out and register and get their PVCs to elect a credible candidates of their choice.
“It’s also symbolic because other stakeholders also joined in the SWS symbolic walk. We are happy with them because this will create a lot of awareness to the people especially the women. We are happy that in the forthcoming elections, we will have a lot of women that coming out to vote”.
On her part, the zonal coordinator of South South for Standup for Women Society, Lib. Timinipre Idoko said, the essence of the exercise is to educate the women on the need to get their permanent voters cards.
“We saying that the women have the right to vote and be voted for and we should not think because we are women we do not have a role to play in governance. We should come out and get our PVCs so that we can collectively votes for a credible candidates that will represent us”.
In her speech, the convener of the sensitization walk and the chairperson of Standup for Women Society, SWS Bayelsa state , Liberator Eunice Nnachi, said the essence of the exercise is to ensure women go out and register and collect their PVCs.
“Without your PVC you will not be able to vote and get good leaders that will lead you. Don’t say your vote doesn’t count. Your votes count this time around just like what happened in just concluded Osun state elections where Peoples vote counted.”.
“Go and get your PVC so that together we can put end to bad governance and collectively vote for good leaders that can lead us and our children. We are tired of hunger, poverty, killings and other devilish things that have bedevil this country as a result of bad leadership”.
The sensitization walk which took off at the Independent National Electoral Commission head office in Yenagoa terminated at the state popular Swali ultra modern market, popularly known as Swali market.
