IPAC Women Set Sights On Party Tickets, Elections & Greater Political Power In Delta
By AMANDA EZE
Delta IPAC Inaugurates Women’s Directorate, Moves to Break Barriers in Politics
THE Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has inaugurated its Delta State Directorate of Women Affairs, alongside local government and ward coordinators, to strengthen women’s participation in politics and governance.
The inauguration brought together women from different political parties. It also provided a platform to promote cooperation across party lines and encourage more women to seek elective positions.
Speaking at the ceremony, the South-South Zonal Coordinator of the Directorate, Rev. Hon. Tammy Clarizza Abusi, reminded Nigerian women in politics that they shared a common destiny despite their different political affiliations.
She explained that IPAC established the Directorate in 2023 to address the exclusion of women from democratic participation. According to her, inclusive democracy cannot thrive while half of the population remains underrepresented.
Abusi also urged women in the South-South, which she described as the heartbeat of Nigeria’s economy, to take the lead in advancing political inclusion.
She said women must move beyond advocacy and begin contesting elections. To achieve this, she pledged that the Directorate would train, mentor and mobilise women to secure party tickets and win elective positions.
“Today, we are not just inaugurating executives, we are institutionalising a movement,” she declared.
She added that the Directorate would champion the proposed Special 35 Per Cent Reserved Seats Bill for women and the full implementation of IPAC’s Twinning Formula.
Abusi charged the newly inaugurated state, local government and ward officials to mobilise, educate and empower women at the grassroots. She also promised activity-driven programmes, an open-door policy, non-discrimination across political parties and accountability.
In her goodwill message, IPAC’s Executive Director, Directorate of Women Affairs, and Deputy National Chairman, Hon. Zainab Ibrahim, congratulated the new executives and Delta women. She described the inauguration as an opportunity to open doors, amplify women’s voices and create a brighter future for them.
Similarly, the Chairman of IPAC in Delta State, Prince Henry J. E. Eze, said democracy remained incomplete without meaningful female representation. He noted that women constituted more than half of Nigeria’s population and played important roles in families, markets, farms and communities.
However, he regretted that their representation in parliaments, cabinets and political party leadership remained limited. He described the imbalance as both an injustice to women and a national loss.
Eze therefore urged political parties to give women greater access to leadership positions and electoral opportunities. He warned against treating them merely as campaign mobilisers while excluding them from important political decisions.
He also called for fair primaries and affirmative action. Furthermore, he encouraged women to support one another, mentor younger politicians and build their knowledge of party rules, electoral laws and public budgeting.
The IPAC chairman also urged women to work across party lines on issues affecting their safety, dignity and representation. He condemned political violence and thuggery, stressing that women must be able to participate safely in democratic activities.
Speaking after her inauguration, the new State Coordinator, Oghenenyerhovwomen Bethel Aboh, Esq., said the Directorate would serve as IPAC’s women’s wing and encourage women to participate actively in political activities.
Aboh, who is also the Delta State Chairman of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) and Legal Adviser to IPAC in the state, said her administration would introduce sensitisation programmes to address political exclusion and tokenism.
She urged women to obtain party nomination forms and contest elections. However, she stressed that political parties must conduct free, fair and reasonably credible primaries.
The coordinator thanked the Delta IPAC leadership for involving women in its activities. She also pledged to work with the national and zonal directorates to improve women’s representation in politics and governance.
Finally, she charged the newly appointed local government and ward coordinators to take the Directorate’s message to grassroots communities and educate women about its objectives.
