Niger Delta Women Reject Planned October 1 Protest, Urge Support for Tinubu’s Government
WARRI/Nigeria: Women from various Niger Delta communities gathered in Warri on Wednesday to distance themselves from the planned October 1 protest against the current administration.
The women, who were part of a stakeholders’ engagement organised by the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), titled “Niger Delta Women: Empowerment as a Panacea for Peace, Stability and Economic Growth”, expressed concern over the actions of certain groups pushing people towards negative behaviour.
The meeting was part of an ongoing series of expanded engagements by the PAP office, involving women’s groups, youth bodies, community and opinion leaders, elders, traditional rulers, and camp leaders from the Niger Delta.
In their resolution, the women, representing various ethnic nationalities in the oil-producing region, called on their children and wards to steer clear of the proposed protests. They further urged families to discourage any participation in demonstrations against the authorities, emphasising the importance of peace.
The women appealed to Nigerians to give President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration the opportunity to address the numerous challenges facing the country. They commended the government for its efforts in empowering women and youths in the region, stating that with the right people in the right positions, positive changes would follow.
Presenting the communiqué to journalists, Madam Beauty Warejuowei, a prominent leader in the Niger Delta, urged women in the region to make the most of the opportunities provided by the government. She noted that active participation would encourage further initiatives and support from the authorities.
“The Niger Delta has had PAP Coordinators before, but for the first time, we feel that the right people are in the right positions,” Warejuowei remarked. She acknowledged the challenges faced by the region but expressed confidence in the policies and programmes initiated by President Tinubu, which she believes will soon resolve these issues.
The women praised Tinubu for appointing Kingsley Otuaro as the head of PAP, describing his appointment as a “square peg in a square hole.” They lauded Otuaro for involving them in the activities of the PAP, marking the first time women in the Niger Delta had been actively engaged by the agency.
Previous PAP administrations, the women noted, had largely excluded them from government interventions, a situation they hoped would no longer persist.
In his address at the forum, PAP Administrator Kingsley Otuaro expressed gratitude to the women for their continued support of the Tinubu administration. He acknowledged the critical role women play in maintaining peace in the Niger Delta, stating, “The destiny of the Niger Delta is in the hands of women.”
Otuaro assured the women that the current economic challenges facing the country were temporary and encouraged them to remain steadfast in their support for the government’s socioeconomic initiatives. He reiterated PAP’s commitment to sustained empowerment, vocational training, grants, and scholarships to uplift the lives of women in the region.
The event saw the attendance of notable women leaders such as Mrs. Ann-Kio Briggs, Chief Mrs. Vero Tangbowei, and Madam Beauty Warejuowei. Also in attendance were Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) President Jonathan Lokpobiri, pioneer IYC President T. K. Ogoriba, and other traditional titleholders, all of whom expressed solidarity with the PAP office.
A visibly elated Otuaro thanked the women for their unwavering support for him and President Tinubu, urging them to remain consistent, noting that despite the current challenges, “there is light at the end of the tunnel.”
