Hon Betta Edu, a National Women Leader candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has repeated and declared her full and utter devotion to President Muhammadu Buhari, the party, and all APC members ahead of the party’s Saturday National Convention.
Edu expressed confidence in her abilities to gather women’s votes and mobilize their support throughout the nation in an impassioned message made on Tuesday in Abuja titled: Let’s Move Forward and Unite Around Our Shared Objectives as Progressives.
‘My devotion to the All Progressives Congress and President Muhammadu Buhari’s government is entire and absolute,’ the statement says in part.
“I am one of you, and I seek to lead our women because I am confident in my ability to rally women’s votes and mobilize their support across the country based on well-developed policies and strategies to facilitate their membership in the party, as well as to spur and guide our leadership at all levels on effective ways to prioritize women-focused issues that will hasten the country’s growth and significantly improve our chances at the polls.”
“I have concentrated on and achieved great progress in the mission to deepen the acceptability of the APC in Cross River state and throughout the South-South region since my admission into the party.” This is especially true among women, with whom I have developed decades-long relationships based on my support for their inclusion and empowerment.
“I am certain that this aim of broadening the party’s reach and influence in a region still seen as the opposition’s heartland is one that we all share, given its critical relevance to our chances of keeping political power, particularly at the center.”
“I ask for your patience as I ask that we all unify over these common goals and continue the critical integration and consensus-building process that will help us expand the party and gain more converts.”
However, in light of the assassination attempt on her life as a consequence of her postings and tweets during the Endsars demonstration, the candidate pleaded for patience and stressed that she had never condoned violence in any manner, as has been implied on social media.
“I am aware that some of my previous actions as a member of the opposition party, particularly my stance during the nationwide ENDSARS protests that gripped the country in the year 2020, have generated confusion and caused some to question both my loyalty to the APC and my fitness to serve in its leadership structure,” she said of her role during the protest.
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“While I admire the courage and dedication of our party members whose scrutiny of my profile unearthed past comments and positions, I’d like to clear the air and provide a context for these isolated comments at issue today by stating clearly and completely the motivations that guided my actions during what was a pivotal moment in the country’s recent history.”
“Like most Nigerians, I was sympathetic to the cause when the ENDSARS protest first broke out in the year 2020 as a civil agitation against the very real problem of police brutality, especially because I, too, had been subjected to a traumatic experience by policemen who violated the ethics of their profession and my basic rights as a Nigerian.”
“At the time, my impression was that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration acknowledged the problem and reaffirmed its commitment to addressing it through promised reforms and other institutional changes, resulting in the acceptance of the ‘five for five’ demands outlined by the protest movement’s recognized leader.”
“However, contrary to rumors circulating, I never advocated for the use of violence to convey these issues or bring the government’s attention to them.” In reality, I have proof of media appearances and interviews where I condemned the movement’s tragic and terrible development into widespread violence, arson, and destructive vandalism.
‘I want to thank everyone who has supported my campaign to serve on the National Working Committee of our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the National Women Leader, in order to enhance the development and prosperity of the party.’
“Your support, goodwill, and comradeship have increased my deep conviction and optimism that our party, the APC, offers Nigeria’s greatest chance for attaining fair growth and sustainable development since my aspiration became known, and during my membership in the party so far.”
It was on this conviction and a genuine desire to do more for our women and other Nigerians on a platform that is both conducive to growth and resolutely focused on the same that I decided to join the party last year, following my political leader and the Governor of my home state of Cross River, Prof. Ben Ayade. I have not been disappointed so far, and I thank you all for that.
“I experienced the horrible results of the turn to violence in my native state of Cross River, including the looting of healthcare facilities and other significant institutions, resulting in the loss of sensitive equipment and resources such as sample testing and other essential state materials.”
“I was emphatic in my disapproval of these violent acts, and as previously said, there are video of my categorical denunciation of violence to back up this assertion.”
“I do accept that some of my rash tweets and impulsive responses to news stories at the end of the event were insensitive and obscured my genuine viewpoint on things. Because I am human and a mother, I am susceptible to emotions. “However, I want to reassure and urge to my progressive comrades who are concerned about my goals and complex political views in the past to not reduce my intentions and nuanced political beliefs to a few of poorly-worded tweets.”
The young politician, on the other hand, urged all APC members to look to the future and commit to rebuilding and strengthening the party in order to meet the hopes and expectations of Nigerians who look to us for solutions to current challenges and the consolidation of recorded progress on a daily basis.
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