It’s Easy to Destroy, But Difficult to Build, First Lady Begs Livid APC Women Leaders

•Urges them to be each other’s keepers 

•Ganduje laments abandonment of female members

Segun James in Lagos and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, yesterday, appealed to the 37 women leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to maintain peace and appreciate one another.

The appeal followed the women leaders’ allegation of abandonment by the party.

Tinubu reminded the women that it was easier to destroy than to build. She urged them to be each other’s keepers.

The first lady donated wrappers to the women.

National Chairman of APC, Abdullahi Ganduje, lamented that despite the women’s commitment to the party during elections, when it was time for appointment, it was always dominated by men.

The APC women had last Wednesday complained that they were not being carried along in the scheme of things in the party.

But the first lady, who was represented by the wife of the vice president, Nana Shettima, while handing over the fabrics to the APC women, said the support was meant for the women who were into the fabrics business.

She stated, “My appeal to all of us here is to be our sisters’ keepers. No matter what, let us appreciate one another. We all know it is easy to destroy but very difficult to build.

“Without flattering, Her Excellency (Oluremi) within the one year has crisscrossed the 36 states. She has been to the six geopolitical zones. She is someone who is eager and wants to see changes in the country.

“The little present we came with to support our APC women leaders, who are into the fabrics business.  Probably, the quantity might not be to your expectation, but I urge you to take it in good faith and assure you that more of such programmes are on the way.”

Ganduje said there was need to change the narrative of gender inequality by electing or appointing more women in positions of authority.

He stated, “We are not surprised seeing the second lady coming up with this very important programme. The population of women in Nigeria is more than the population of men.

“So, you can see that when it comes to elections, women are more committed, despite environmental hazards, be it cold, dust weather, they will stay through.

“But when it comes to the sharing of the success of the election, it is dominated by men. We have to change this narrative of women participation in politics.

“We have begun it as a party by speaking to the chief executives at the state level to begin to include women participation at the local government level.”

The chairman noted that the programme was aimed at improving financial inclusiveness for women, who were already in the business of fabrics.

Ganduje added, “I’m happy to hear that this programme is for women, who are already in the fabrics business and their business is down due to the present economic challenge, which is all over the world.

“By introducing this programme, these are assets because they will increase their goods and when they sell them they will buy more wrappers to shore up their businesses.

“I now advise those, who are in charge of this programme, the first and second ladies have done their own. What is left is for you to be honest, transparent, and nationalistic so that these wrappers will go to the target group.

“Secondly, these wrappers, don’t expect anything from there, don’t expect transport fare, they are free, give them free.”