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Ken-Ohanenye: Stepping down at her pinnacle

Mixed reaction trailed her contest among the women folk. Some felt disappointed on the efforts put into her presidential ambition.

 

Comments on social media, mostly WhatsApp platforms, felt she wasn’t serious enough or that she didn’t put in enough energy. As such, she wasted the 35 per cent affirmative slot for women.

 

Barr. Uju Ken Ohanenye was the only woman presidential aspirant out of the 23 aspirant seeking to be flag bearer of the All Progressives Congress( APC) but she stepped down for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, even though some also opined that perhaps, she was forced or cajoled to step down.

Speaking at the convention ground on Tuesday night, she described Tinubu as a lifesaver.

 

She said: “Nigeria needs a leader and I have decided to be the mother of the country. Nigeria is lacking women’s expertise. “I thank you so much but I have found out that we need more time for that to happen. I am pleading with delegates to know that their votes are life savers. Think of your children and mothers before you vote.

“Vote for someone that will ensure the brighter future of our children. I feel I should step aside for that life saver and the best candidate who is Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. I beg my supporters to vote for Tinubu.”

 

When she bought her Expression of Interest(EOI) and nomination forms, Ken-Ohanenye had given a serious hope that she was in the race. She told journalists: “It is so obvious and all of us know that it is time for a mother to come on board. Everybody, including Mr President came from a woman. As it is today, insecurity, and other things, the children need motherly care.

 

We can understand that from their attitude. I have never been a politician but because of what I have seen, I just felt I should come on board. “The major solution I am bringing on board is to involve the commoners, less privileged, in governance of the country. If we don’t involve, from killing of the commoners they will kill the elite.

 

We must involve them to get them understand what is going on. Nigerian youths are very intelligent and instead of using them negatively, we use them positively for the growth of the country. “I am going to localise the construction of roads and many other things. I won’t copy the westerners all through because they have their way of constructing it which makes very expensive.

 

I want to localise Moston the roads and involve indigenes of those areas in constructing them. They will generally get involved and get paid. It will reduce unemployment, keep the busy and out of mischief,” she said.

 

Asked her fear going into the primaries, she replied: “My fear is that men will want to muscle me out. But I am standing firmly for the people I am here to protect.

 

They will want to push me over. But I cannot be intimidated. I have been emboldened. “I am sure you want to also ask me why I didn’t want to go for governorship, but I don’t want any position that will limit to particular region or place. I want to be out for all Nigerians be you Christian, Muslim, male, female, I don’t care. I just want to be there to ensure that they feel good. What is causing insecurity is lack of love, selfishness and bias.”

 

They no longer feel any sense of belonging or reason to live,” Ohanenye said. On her view about the speculated consensus option of the ruling party, she said: “it all depends. I will agree with a clause and that clause is that the major reason for my joining the race must be addressed.

 

Those issues concerning the downtrodden must be addressed. I don’t really care if any other person other than me take up the responsibility but the person be one who will look into solving the problems of Nigeria.

 

“How much are you at home with the womenfolk I don’t just have only women as my constituency but constituencies all over Nigeria. I have donated health centres across the country. I visit the downtrodden and less privileged. I am well prepared with my constituencies,” she noted.

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