The Imo State House of Assembly has urged women in the state to seek more political offices in 2023.

The lawmakers said that time had gone when women sit on the fences waiting for men to “dash them one political office or the other.”

The lawmaker representing Njaba Local Government Government Area, Uju Onwudiwe, who represented the Imo state house of Assembly at a special women’s conference held in Owerri, the state capital which was organized by Prolific Women Initiative expressed concern at the dwindling participation of women in politics, recently.

She said that the lack of women’s participation in politics was the reason bills on women do not scale through at the National Assembly.

Onwudiwe said that it was unfortunate that only two females make up the state house of Assembly which has 27 lawmakers.

The reelected female lawmaker said that the best way to demand equal rights with men was to actively show interest in politics and governance at all levels.

She said “this is a world where we as women have been called to take what is ours. We need to realise our potential, women have more potential than men because they have good hearts. Women have abandoned what God has given them and started chasing shadow and men capitalised on it and put discrimination. If we realise ourselves, men can’t do that to us again. There is a need for us to unite.”

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It’s a shame having only two women out of 27 in the Imo State Assembly despite having more women electorate during elections. Let us vote for ourselves so that we can have better numbers and participation. Our destiny is in our hands and we must get the 35 percent affirmative action.” 

The convener of the conference and President of Prolific Women Initiative, Chioma Igwe, a Nollywood actress said women could only realise their dreams if they were educated.

Igwe an indigene of Oguta LGA of the state, said that at PWI, they educate, empower and elevate women who are desirous of impacting the world around them.

The Nollywood actress said that Women could actually sway votes in their favour if they could take the numerical advantage they have during the next general elections.

The event was also attended by the Special Assistant to the governor on women mobilisation, Mrs Josephine Nnoaham, and other top Nollywood celebrities.