Abuja, Nigeria – Being African, and being a woman has often meant being underrepresented due to discrimination in the corporate and governance. But with a popular strides, emboldened Hon Mrs Juliet Egbo is pushing through a major political change despite political backlash on Nigerian political leaders. She is amongst African women breaking the glass ceiling to attain success.
Currently, she is one of the few women in Nigeria who is running against men who basically lack genuine political experience but aggrandize themselves with public wealth, ready to expend the money to acquire power and retain power ad infinitum.
Mrs Egbo, is the APC House of Representatives Candidate for Enugu North and South Federal Constituency, with her calm and firm demeanour, she has refused to throw in the towel and step aside in the male dominance political space. She remained resolute and as a more pragmatic legislator in approximate-potency, one who has learnt from both the failures and successes of past and present lawmakers, she is ready to legislate over remarkable legislative productivity. In the process, she envisioned to seal a legacy as the most powerful woman House of Representatives member in Nigeria History.
“I move for transformational legislation which will take us into the future,” she told TimeAfrica even in the face of wheeling and dealing of corral opposition.
Mrs. Egbo embodies commitment to public service and her constituents are thrilled that she will be elected into the House of Representatives.
Inarguably her presence will be felt in the Green Chamber as she plans to move for stronger legislation in the climate change, health care, public works, education agriculture, SMEs, youth empowerment, and social legislation, gender equality and women participation in governance.
The leadership of National Assembly will find it daunting to try to match her performance and political reach, whatever their view of policy agenda, Egbo certainly will carve an niche every singular path.
As the country is bracketed by the agitations, she promised to also show a willingness to rise above political differences even though it is delicate.
On the harrowing financial crisis that has presumably thrown the nation into turmoil, she believes that while the federal government is working to realign the economy, a robustful legislative push and consistent results, will finally triumphant the country.
Her greatest accomplishment will be to implore and muster all the legislative skill to pull her constituents out of king perilous teetered economy and development orchestrated by ineffective representation at the national assembly.
While her goals are big, she also promised to devot herself to her constituents. For their sake navigate all the diverse objections to deliver on all set legislative objectives.
Certainly, her spontaneous motion as never seen before is on Affordable Care Act, expanding health care to tens of millions of Nigeria old people 70 and above, subsidizing/funding medical bills of young Nigerians that have fatal health condition like kidney, lever, cancer etc.
“My weightiest tasks with no time to spare is to make new legislative provisions to lower drug costs for older Nigerians, fund medical bills of young Nigerians battling fatal health condition,” he said.
She wants be one of the most effective legislators in history. A dream no one will fatal be able to take that away from her.
Mrs. Egbo stands out with so many parts: poised, determined and clear on her intentions to do what is best for Nkanu land she loves.
“For me, the hour has come for a new generation to lead the country and I am grateful that so many are ready and willing to shoulder this awesome responsibility,”.she opined.
In the Legislative House, she may not have the gavel but her voice will be loud. She promised to drive a people-first legislative agenda with unwavering persistence – and show a level of accessibility and willingness to listen that is often void in Nigeria politics.
While this homemaker-turned- powerhouse politician is navigating to the country’s National Assembly, no doubt she will continue to use her strategic approach to attract dividends of democracy to her people.
She is coming with a liberation ideology across Enugu State that promoted inclusiveness.
“I decided to join politics to contribute my quota to the rebuilding efforts of my country. I became active in the process and decided to contribute to the journey to rebuild and develop Enugu State. “We had the blessing of good and visionary leaders of new Enugu. We had His Excellency, Surlivan Chime, whose leadership was about inclusiveness and making sure that every communities had the benefit of dividends of democracy. Therfore my immediate priority is to re-unite our people because the State is divided and fractured for some time now. We must succeed in the job of uniting our people and the State,” she promised, and “amazing level of unity and reconciliation barometer, considering where we are coming from,” he assured.
She could be likened to Hilary Clinton Nancy Polasi and Ellen Sirleaf in very many ways. Mrs Egbo is highly educated, bureaucrat with experience oozing out of her pores.
“As a House of Reps member, I will work in terms of closing the gender gap and women participation.
“No country can aspire to develop in a very efficient way when it is leaving a big part of the population behind. Women and men must work together to build a progressive society. We must have women participate at every level of governance , including in the private sector and the political parties. Women play important roles in building a society. A society cannot hope to progress when 52% of the population is not carried along. Women represent 52% of our population. A major part of our population must be at the centre of governance process and every citizen – men and women must be involved.”
Mrs Egbo has her fair share of detractors – as most politicians do – but there is no denying her rightful place as a giant and consummate public servant in Nigeria’s political system
She has proudly called herself a liberal, one who is driven by a mostly social agenda that includes advocating for children, women, youth and rural dwellers
She is never power hungry or elitist; her larger-than-life persona exists simply because she exists. And her leadership will prove to be an unshakeable force for Nigeria democracy. Political ideologies aside, Hon Mrs Egbo will serve her country and constituency with decency and distinction. She will build a legacy for generations to come. That is what real leaders do.
By Chidipeters Okorie
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