BY EDITOR
The wife of the Ebonyi State Governor, Chief Mrs Mary-Maudline Uzoamaka Nwifuru, has urged women in the state to use their votes in the 2027 general elections to support leaders who have demonstrated commitment to their welfare and advancement.
Mrs Nwifuru made the call at the grand finale of the 2026 Women August Meeting, held at Pa Ngele Township Stadium, Abakaliki, the state capital, where she also empowered more than 52 market women with financial assistance to support their businesses.
The event, themed “The Power of Resilient Women in Nation Building,” attracted government officials, former first ladies, women leaders and other stakeholders.
The First Lady said the administration of Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru had provided women with opportunities in governance, healthcare, education and economic empowerment, urging them not to take such interventions for granted.
She said, “Economically, we have been improved. He has given us opportunities to benefit from his healthcare services, education and participation in the development of Ebonyi State.
“We must not take this for granted. As women, we must remember those who have remembered us and support those who have supported us, especially leadership that has demonstrated genuine commitment to the well-being and advancement of our people.”
Mrs Nwifuru specifically urged the women to support candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the forthcoming elections, saying their votes would be a demonstration of appreciation for the administration’s interventions.
“It is time to show appreciation by voting for all the APC candidates in the upcoming general elections. They have supported us, and it is time for us to show our support for them. I know my women cannot disappoint me,” she said.
She, however, challenged the women to move beyond political participation to collective action capable of strengthening families and communities.
“Ebonyi women have always been resilient, but today we need to be more than resilient. We need wisdom, knowledge, unity and courage.
“Let this year’s August Meeting move us from celebration to commitment, discussion to action, individual success to collective progress; building stronger families, peaceful communities, creating opportunities for others, raising responsible children and ensuring a stronger Ebonyi State,” she said.
The First Lady also commended Governor Nwifuru for his continued support for women and pledged the commitment of Ebonyi women to programmes and policies aimed at improving their socioeconomic conditions.
Speaking through his Deputy, Princess Patricia Obila, Governor Nwifuru commended the First Lady for what he described as her sustained initiatives aimed at empowering women and improving their welfare.
The Governor said women in Ebonyi had demonstrated capacity and reliability in governance, healthcare, community development and other sectors of the state’s economy.
He assured the women that his administration would continue to prioritise their inclusion in government policies, programmes and appointments.
The Governor also acknowledged the participation of women in the recently concluded local government elections, in which the APC won all 13 chairmanship positions and 171 councillorship seats in the state.
Earlier, the chairman of the occasion, Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, represented by Chief Austin Umahi, described the August Meeting as having evolved from a conventional social gathering into a platform for development, mobilisation and strategic engagement.
Umahi commended the state government for appointing women to positions of responsibility, describing them as critical pillars of the family and society.
He urged the women to reciprocate what he termed the government’s goodwill with political support in the forthcoming elections, expressing optimism that Ebonyi would produce a female senator.
“If you want to marry a good wife, come to Ebonyi State. If you want a resilient woman, come to Ebonyi State,” Umahi said.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Barr. Felicia Nwamkpuma, charged mothers to reclaim their roles in preserving family values and shaping the character and future of the younger generation.
Nwamkpuma urged mothers to remain vigilant against social vices and ensure that their children were raised with sound moral values and equipped to make meaningful contributions to society.
