By Valentine Amanze, Online Editor
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in the 2021 Anambra State governorship election, Mr. Valentine Ozigbo, has called for an enhanced participation of women and youth in politics and governance.
He made the appeal at a conference organised by the female wing of the Federation of PDP Students, Anambra State Chapter, held at La Luna Hotel, Awka at the weekend.
Ozigbo thanked the leadership of the Federation of PDP Students for their ingenuity and initiative in creating the platform at “such a perfect time”.
“When I was informed of this event by the leadership of your organisation, I was delighted to throw my support behind it because I believe that a platform such as this is overdue,” Ozigbo said.
“I am impressed that the female wing of this organisation spearheaded this event. It demonstrates that our young women are awake to their responsibility and place in politics and leadership.
“I am excited that you, the youth, have realised your value and your power to make change happen and are now demanding a significant stake in running the affairs of your country,” the business leader said.
Besides, Ozigbo urged the youth, especially the female participants, to take charge of their future by getting involved in politics as they have the potential to re-chart the trajectory of their states and country if they “play in the big league”.
“Youth and women are the two critical groups that I anchor my development plan for Anambra. This is for good reasons,” Ozigbo said.
“You hold power within you to change society, to energise and elevate the level of our politics and governance.
“Our leadership is a reflection of the people’s participation. If a critical mass of you bring your youthful energies and ideas to politics, refuse to be relegated to ‘youth department’ or ‘women affairs’ but insist you must play in the big league; indeed the positive transformation we all earnestly dream of will become a reality,” Ozigbo urged the students.
Ozigbo, who is the immediate past President and Group CEO of Transcorp Plc, was presented with an award of excellence for his “unflinching support towards the upliftment of Nigerian women”.
On the award, Ozigbo thanked the student body for the honour, and reassured them that he would continue to expand any space he finds himself for more women participation.
“I consider myself very privileged to receive this award today, and I’m very grateful for your kind words,” he said.
“Throughout my career, I have had the amazing pleasure of working with women. From my childhood, through the powerful example of my mother, Christiana Ozigbo, I got to understand the importance of the role women play in society,” he said.
“The resilience, ingenuity, and zeal women bring to the table cannot be neglected. Everywhere I have worked, I ensured that women are given their rightful leadership positions to contribute to the development of the organisation and society at large,” he said.
The state co-ordinator of the Federation of PDP students, Chris Onwa-Mmaju, thanked Ozigbo for keeping to his words and honouring their invitation to the event.
He also appreciated the business leader for consistently supporting the student body whenever they call on him.
“Mr Ozigbo is an exceptional leader, a kind and passionate one at that. In the history of this organisation, he has never closed his door on us each time we reach out to him for assistance and support,” Onwa-Mmaju said.
In her remarks, Amb. Onwudiegwu Vivian Kenechi, the woman leader of the PDP Student Federation, Anambra State chapter, thanked Ozigbo for his continued support for PDP, students, and women in particular.
“Thank you, once again, Your Excellency, for being a part of our success story. Hopefully, in no distant time, we too shall be a part of your own success story,” Kenechi said.
Dignitaries who graced the occasion include Mrs Justina Nwafor, the PDP State Woman Leader and Hon Emeka Igwe, the 2019 PDP candidate for the Anambra State House of Assembly.
The conference, which was sponsored by Valentine Chineto Ozigbo (VCO) Foundation, was themed, “Decrease of Female Participation in Politics: Apathy or Marginalisation?”
