…adopt Imo Mmenim as sole candidate
By Ime Silas
Ahead of next year’s general elections, women of Etinan local government area have spoken in one voice, demanding that a woman be elected to occupy the Etinan State Constituency seat at the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly.
Speaking separately with our correspondents on the forthcoming State Assembly election, some of the women who bemoaned what they described as marginalization of the women on political representation in the area, insisted that come 2027, they would vote only for a political party that fielded a woman as candidate for the Etinan State Constituency seat.
One of our respondents, Peace Joshua, who’s the Etinan Chapter Coordinator; Women For Women Initiative (WWI), said it was time to elect a woman for the Etinan State Constituency seat who would take into consideration the interests of the women in her legislative engagements.
“It is time to vote for women in order to correct the gender imbalances of the past”, Peace noted, adding that come 2027, the women of Etinan would mobilize themselves massively to achieve the goal.
She continued: “The last time a woman was elected to represent Etinan State Constituency was in 2003 in the person of Hon. Iniobong Eshiet. That’s over twenty years ago and she performed excellently well.
During her tenure, our women were effectively carried along in the scheme of things. So, come 2027, we will mobilize the women to support one of us. Thank God, we have a very vibrant woman amongst the contenders. Mrs Imo Mmenim Valentine. She has the requisite capacity with a track record of competence to deliver, not just on her legislative functions, but oversights regarding the women’s rights and interests”.
On her part, the immediate-past Senatorial Woman leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Akwa Ibom Northeast (Uyo) Senatorial District; Obonganwan Patience Anako said women should be given the equal right of political representation, and described Mrs Imo Mmenim as “Women Slot”.
According to Patience “For the past over twenty years, no woman has been elected to represent Etinan State Constituency in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly. So, we the women are saying that the stakeholders in Etinan should consider and allow this turn for a woman. Mrs Imo Mmenim Valentine is the Women Slot.
As we speak, she is the only woman in the race. She is fully Iman Ibom in all ramifications. She comes from Etinan both by birth and marriage. She hails from Ikot Akpanya village, Northern Iman Ward 2.
Her husband is also from Etinan, from the southern part. Incidentally, she is the only aspirant who would represent the interests of the entire Etinan local government area, the north and the south. And to crown it all, she is a woman and still young in age.
Therefore, Mrs Imo Mmenim will represent all interests. She will represent Etinan North; her birthplace, Etinan South; her origin by marriage, the women; being her gender and the youths because age wise, she is still a youth. Therefore, we the women will grab this opportunity and do everything to ensure that a woman is elected”.
