Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, has welcomed the decision of the Court of Appeal in Yola on Thursday to uphold the governorship candidacy of All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Adamawa state, Aisha Binani, declaring that women will lead the campaign.
Tallen, who appeared at the 59th edition of the Ministerial Media Briefing organized by the Presidential Communications Team at the Presidential Villa Abuja on Thursday, was briefing when the news broke.
The Court of Appeal in Yola set aside a ruling by the High Court nullifying the candidacy of APC’s candidates, Emmanuel Bwacha and Binani for Taraba and Adamawa states respectively and ordered that their names be forwarded to the Independent National Electoral Commission as the APC governorship candidates for both states.
A very elated Tallen who broke into the women’s anthem said: “I knew that we will make it. Today is a day that we are going to celebrate. From here we are moving to the house. We will move to the streets and watch what will happen in Adamawa.
“We will lead the campaign, Adamawa women already are fully mobilized, they have said that if she’s not given her mandate, they will not come out to contest or vote in any election.
“Nigerian women are fully behind her because throughout last night (Wednesday) we did vigil, we have been praying and fasting on this matter and God answered our prayers. Because, this is a test case, is not that we don’t have capable women.
“They did it for me in 2011, they did it for late Mama Taraba and I vowed under my stewardship, Lord, wipe my tears and God answered my prayers.
“This is a success story to Buhari’s administration. President Buhari will be the first president to inaugurate a woman as a female governor.
Senator Aisha Binani’s case is an election that is already won because, Adamawa people have spoken. The President of National Council of Women Society is from Adamawa, we are monitoring what is happening.
“I am happy. This is good news for Nigerian women. I am from Plateau, I wish I can vote in Adamawa, I would have moved to Adamawa to vote for her. But it is not just women of Adamawa, the men, youths are crying for a change and they will see by the time Binani gets into office the difference will be clear. The development that will take place in Adamawa because she has been tested. As a member of House of Representatives, go to her constituency, as a senator not only in her senatorial zone, Adamawa people have told me that she handles the empowerment of women, youths, elderly, giving out scholarships.
“This lady deserves to be supported. Her victory during the primaries was a landslide victory. I thank God she won the case. This is answered prayers of Nigerian women.
Whoever told you women don’t like one another, it is not true.
“I have a dream that one day a woman will be the president of Nigeria, just like the dream that Martin Luther Jr had for America and a Blackman became the president. That day is coming if it is not in our generation our children will live to see it. More female governors are coming because by the time Binani sets the pace other states will cry out to have more women governors. It is a matter of time, we will get there.”
Tallen also hailed the Federal High Court in Abuja for dismissing the suit filed against Senator Stella Oduah, seeking an order invalidating her nomination as a Senatorial Candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State.
Delivering Judgement, Justice Inyang Ekwo dismissed the suit for being statute barred.
A senatorial aspirant in Anambra, John Emeka, had sued Oduah, alleging that she lied under oath in both her expression of interest and nomination forms, including in the INEC Form CF001 which she submitted to the commission for the 2023 Anambra North Senatorial District seat.
Tallen said: “Don’t think women hate each other, we love each other and we will continue to work towards supporting one another.
“Yesterday (Wednesday), I celebrated Senator Stella Oduah, she won yesterday. All these victories that are coming up, is a sign of good things to come and I thank God it is coming under the able leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari and my humble self as minister for women affairs.”
