By Moses Okorie
Honorable Elizabeth Ozavize Richard, the chairmanship candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) for the Abuja Municipal Area Council in the February 21 FCT Council Elections, has pledged that as a woman, she would rule with empathy, if elected to serve as council chairman.
Elizabeth made this pledge on Saturday when her campaign train visited Pigba Sama community, beside Apo Mechanic Village, saying her government would focus on human empowerment especially to women and youth as well as give special attention to primary healthcare and education of children.
Speaking with NationsPride, she said: “When a woman comes into power, she rules with empathy, because women are the ones that know the pains of their fellow women, the youth, the mothers and the children.
“So, I am calling on them that it will not do them any harm by coming out to vote a fellow woman into office”.
Hon. Elizabeth said before coming into partisan politics, she had worked as an administrator in a non-governmental organization (NGO) where she addressed issues of domestic violence.
“I have also worked in a team where we secure release of youths from prisons; because some of them are just there on the basis of constituting nuisance in the society.
“I have partnered with other organizations in the area of empowering women, the youth, and taking the children off the streets. So why I am vying for this office is because as mothers who are at the receiving end, we should stand up, to say enough is enough”.
The chairmanship hopeful further stated that hearing the voice of the youth, the cries of women and children on the street prompted her stepping out as the only woman among the 17 political parties vying for the office, and she is standing strong.
Elizabeth expressed confidence that she would win the election due to massive support she has been receiving across the various wards of the area council.
“Most women lack the confidence to come out or to give support to their fellow women, but from the campaign and the experience on the field, I realize that a lot of women are coming out and they are going to give me their support”.
Speaking on the possibility of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not conducting credible election, she said, “I think INEC has improved a lot from the series of meetings we had together.
“This election is going to be different from every other election that was held, and I believe that INEC will also want to make this one as a sample against the upcoming election in 2027 to prove their credibility in securing every vote and make sure that vote counts”.