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Tag: Sharon Ikeazor

  • Fed Govt spends N79.2b on monthly pension

    The Federal Government spent a total of N79.2 billion on the payment of monthly pensions to pensioners last year, the Executive Secretary, Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), Sharon Ikeazor, said on Thursday.

    She spoke at the stakeholders forum for pensioners from North Central Zone in Abuja.

    Ikeazor said: “N6.8billion monthly pension was paid to Customs, Immigration and Prison Pension Department (CIPPD), N45 billion was paid to pensioners in Parastatals Pension Department (PaPD), about N21.2 billion was paid to pensioners under Civil Service Pension Department (CSPD) and N6.1 billion was also paid to pensioners with Police Pension Department (PPD).

    “Under the CSPD, 30,770 pensioners who had not been on the payroll had their benefits computed and put back on the payroll with their arrears paid.

    “As at March 2019, an additional 1,655 have also been computed and put back on the payroll.

    “Under PaPD, an additional 14,678 pensioners from various agencies under the PaPD were verified, benefits computed and paid. They include Delta Steel, NITEL/MTEL, FHA, Savannah Sugar, and NDA – Civilian.”

    “On the issue of 33 per cent arrears, which is the most relevant point that I am sure all pensioners are eager to hear about.

    “As at Monday this week, the Federal Government through PTAD has paid the sum of N2.6billion to 103,000 Civil Service Pensioners who are on PTAD payroll.

    “This is an inherited liability from the last salary increase of 2010. I will like to reassure the majority of parastatals pensioners who have not received their 33 per cent arrears that we have just paid that of Nigeria Railways.

    “The rest of the parastatals pensioners 33 per cent arrears will be paid after the parastatals verification exercise which will commence at the end of April.

    “This is to enable PTAD ascertain its true liability. You are aware that under the Parastatals Pensions Department, PTAD owes between 12 – 24 months of the 33 per cent arrears. But for Police Pensions and Civil Service Pensions, we have a zero balance; meaning that government has cleared all of the 33 per cent arrears.”

    Concerning payment to Next of Kins (NoKs), the PTAD chief said it has paid 337 NoKs over N277million; 649 NoKs of PaPD (NITEL) have been paid over N613.4million; 1,019 of the NoKs in Health/Education sector under the PaPD have been paid a total of N1.9million; lastly, 19 NoKs of Delta Steel have been paid N25.9billion.

    Read Also: Pension complaints and solutions

    She said the only acceptable documentation for the processing of payment to NoK is the letter of administration from state or federal high court.

    The Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, who was represented by the Director of Legal at the Federal Ministry of Finance, Mr. Gabriel Christopher, while commending the PTAD for its exceptional, transparent, and technologically driven innovation and workforce, assured pensioners that the payment of the rest of the parastatals pensioners will take effect in due course.

    The Acting Director-General of the National Pension Commission (PenCom), Hajia Aisha Dahir-Umar, represented by the Head of Complaint in the Commission, Mr. Michael Ejiofor, commended the progress and successes achieve by the directorate of PTAD, regardless of the many challenges it faces such as low funds.

    Dr. Abel Afolayan of Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), said: “Pensioners have never had it this good in the history of this country.”

    While commending PTAD and the administration under President Muhammadu Buhari for clearing backlogs of payments of 33 per cent pension arrears, he however advised the government to pay speedy attention to the payment of the rest of the parastatals pensioners, and to address issues concerning payments to NoKs.

     

  • FG spent N79.2bn on monthly pension in 2018, says PTAD

    The Federal Government in 2018 spent a total of N79.2 billion on the payment of monthly pensions to pensioners.

    The Executive Secretary of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), Sharon Ikeazor, made this known at the stakeholders forum for pensioners from North Central Zone in Abuja on Thursday.

    According to her, “N6.8bn monthly pension was paid to Customs, Immigration and Prison Pension Department (CIPPD), N45 billion was paid to pensioners in Parastatals Pension Department (PaPD), about N21.2 billion was paid to pensioners under Civil Service Pension Department (CSPD) and N6.1 billion was also paid to pensioners with Police Pension Department (PPD).

    “Under the CSPD, 30,770 pensioners who had not been on the payroll had their benefits computed and put back on the payroll with their arrears paid.

    “As at March 2019, an additional 1,655 have also been computed and put back on the payroll.

    “Under PaPD, an additional 14,678 pensioners from various agencies under the PaPD were verified, benefits computed and paid. They include Delta Steel, NITEL/MTEL, FHA, Savannah Sugar, and NDA – Civilian.”

    “On the issue of 33% arrears, which is the most relevant point that I am sure all pensioners are eager to hear about.

    “As at Monday this week, the FG through PTAD has paid the sum of N2.6bn to 103,000 Civil Service Pensioners who are on PTAD payroll.

    “This is an inherited liability from the last salary increase of 2010. I will like to reassure the majority of parastatals pensioners who have not received their 33% arrears that we have just paid that of Nigeria Railways.

    “The rest of the parastatals pensioners 33% arrears will be paid after the parastatals verification exercise which will commence at the end of April.

    “This is to enable PTAD ascertain its true liability.

    “You are aware that under the Parastatals Pensions Department, PTAD owes between 12 – 24 months of the 33% arrears. But for Police Pensions and Civil Service Pensions, we have a zero balance; meaning that government has cleared all of the 33% arrears.” she said.

    Concerning payment to Next of Kins (NOKs), the PTAD boss explained that it has paid 337 NOKs over N277m; 649 NOKs of PaPD (NITEL) have been paid over N613.4m; 1,019 of the NOKs in Health/Education sector under the PaPD have been paid a total of N1.9m; lastly, 19 NOKs of Delta Steel have been paid N25.9bn.

    She explained that the only acceptable documentation for the processing of payment to Next of Kin is the letter of administration from state or federal high court.

    The Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, who was represented by the Director of Legal at the Federal Ministry of Finance, Mr. Gabriel Christopher, while commending the PTAD for its exceptional, transparent, and technologically driven innovation and workforce, assured pensioners that the payment of the rest of the parastatals pensioners will take effect in due course.

    Read Also: PTAD pays 103,710 civil service pensioners

    The Acting Director-General of the National Pension Commission (PenCom), Hajia Aisha Dahir-Umar, represented by the Head of Complaint in the Commission, Mr. Michael Ejiofor, commended the progress and successes achieved by the directorate of PTAD, regardless of the many challenges it faces such as low funds.

    According to the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Dr. Abel Afolayan, “Pensioners have never had it this good in the history of this country.”

    While commending PTAD and the administration under President Muhammadu Buhari for clearing backlogs of payments of 33% pension arrears, he, however, advised the government to pay speedy attention to the payment of the rest of the parastatals pensioners, and to address issues concerning payments to Next of Kins.

  • ICPC praises PTAD on fight against scammers

    The Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) has commended the Pension Transitional Directorate Arrangement (PTAD) Executive Secretary, Sharon Ikeazor, for creating the Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) in the Directorate to tackle scamming and fraud.

    ICPC Executive Chairman, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, who gave the commendation, said the Commission was impressed with the media campaigns by the Directorate against fraudsters and staff training on early detection of fraudsters and scammers.

    According to a statement by the Directorate, the ICPC chairman gave the commendation when Ikeazor led senior management staff of the Directorate to the Commission on courtesy visit to the new Chairman and Board members to seek for their collaboration on the fight against pension fraudsters.

    The statement reads: “PTAD Executive Secretary used the meeting to update the chairman on the activities of the Directorate and achievements recorded under her leadership.

    “She said the Directorate has concluded verifications for three main operational Departments which include the Police Pension Department; Custom, Immigrations, Prisons Pension Department; and Civil Service Pension Department under the watch of ICPC officials and that the last Department, the Parastatal Pension Department which comprises of over 270 defunct Treasury Funded Agencies will be conducted in April 2019.

    Read also: New ICPC chief pledges to live above board

    “She also used the visit to solicit enhanced collaboration with the Commission, which would facilitate the apprehension and prosecution of the unscrupulous pension phone scammers, whose antics were becoming savvy.

    “She expressed her appreciation to the Commission for the role they played during PTAD staff audit, conducted with the office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.”

    The ICPC chairman assured PTAD that the Commission would support the Directorate to sanitise the system and end pension scamming and fraud. He promised to create a desk office that would relate with the Directorate to fast-track apprehension and prosecutions of the offenders, the statement added.

  • 300,000 neglected pensioners on FG’s payroll – PTAD

    About 300,000 pensioners who worked in federal establishments but were disengaged without benefits, mostly because their establishments were privatised without provision for such benefits, have been duly enlisted and are drawing monthly pension.

    The Executive Secretary of federal government’s Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) Sharon Ikeazor disclosed this in Yola, capital of Adamawa.

    She added the federal government pays this category of pensioners about N9 billion monthly pension through the PTAD.

    The PTAD is an agency under the Federal Ministry of Finance established to manage pensions for certain categories of federal pensioners.

    Ikeazor, who visited Yola to oversee an ongoing verification for former workers of the Savannah Sugar Company, Numan, also disclosed the PTAD is saving the federal government N4.9 billion annually as a result of the payroll cleanup it achieved through its civil service verification exercise.

    She told reporters: “During the privatisation exercise (of the Olusegun Obasanjo era), most of these outfits were sold liability-free to the companies that bought them.

    “The liabilities were left for the federal government to shoulder. Remember we did verification for Delta Steel as well.

    “Delta Steel was privatised in 2005 and the pensioners were left without payment, just like the Savannah Sugar Company which was sold also without provision for the pensioners.”

    Some of the other former federal establishments whose pensioners the PTAD has similarly rescued include Nigeria Reinsurance Corporation, NICON Insurance Corporation, NITEL/MTel and New Nigerian Newspapers (NNN) Ltd.

    Giving insights to categories of pensioners that PTAD caters to, the executive secretary said: “We have carried out civil service pension in the six geopolitical zones.

    “We placed over 100,000 (civil service) pensioners back on the payroll. That is those who were dropped off the payroll because of past maladministration.

    “We’ve also done the police pension where we put the war affected police officers on pension, those who had been long forgotten.”

    Speaking at the opening of the Yola PTAD office, located at the Federal Secretariat in Jimeta, Sharon Ikeazor said the office was set up to bring the services of PTAD close to the people.

  • Ikeazor: From pension administration to presidential campaign council

    Sharon Ikeazor is Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) Executive Secretary. A lawyer, she was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari to the Presidential Campaign Council. Legal Editor JOHN AUSTIN UNACHUKWU writes on her journey from law practice, pension administration to politics.

    Many reasons have been speculated and adduced by political pundits on the rationale behind the appointment of many members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council for the 2019 general elections which was inaugurated by President Muhammedu Buhari in Abuja Last week.

    As usual, a lot of public commentators and political analysts have kept pontificating and theorising about the appointment of some qualified members including a seasoned legal practitioner, politician, activist and management consultant Sharon Ikeazor  into the council.

    It is worthy of note that though godfatherism is a big factor in our political life, at the same time, qualification and merit cannot be sacrificed for any reason in a critical situation like this when the APC desires nothing but complete victory in the Southeast .

    So, the appointment of an achiever like Ikeazor cannot but be applauded as well deserved given the position of the party in the Southeast. Her appointment into the Campaign council to co-ordinate the Southeast is well deserved and placing a round peg in a round hole.

     

    Who is Ikeazor?

    Sharon Ikeazor was born on August 28, 1961 into the family of Dr. Chimezie Ikeazor (SAN), the Oboli of Obosi in Anambra State and founder of the Free Legal Aid for the Poor in Nigeria.

    She started her primary school education at the St. Mary’s Convent School, Lagos. Afterwards, she attended the Queen of The Rosary College, Onitsha and the Godolphin School, Salisbury, England before proceeding to the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

    As a lawyer, politician, management consultant, philanthropist and social activist, Ikeazor has been a creative problem-solver, who consistently demonstrates passion and excellence in the efficiency, productivity, and quality of her work.

    Ikeazor was Vice President for Business Development/Government Relations for a United States Consulting firm, GWI Consulting, she was responsible for providing advisory and consulting services in the Oil and Gas and Energy Sectors in Nigeria and for developing emerging business opportunities in Africa. While at GWI, Sharon was a principal consultant for General Electric (GE) on the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) with the Federal Government of Nigeria.

    Prior to joining GWI, Ikeazor worked with Shell Petroleum Development Company as a lawyer and for Fluor Daniel Nigeria as a project coordinator for construction management projects.

    Sharon obtained her Bachelor of Law (LL.B Hons) from the University of Benin in 1984 and (BL) from the Nigerian Law School in 1985.

    She has had the opportunity to be involved in several start-up and reorganisational projects for both foreign and local companies and is considered as a versatile individual, having worked in Banking/Corporate Finance, Administration/Legal/HR and project monitoring fields

    In 2011, she contested and won the position of National Women leader of Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).

    Being a believer in building the capacity of women, she partnered with the International Republican Institute (IRI) and the UNDP in the training of Women in Leadership and Political Roles in Nigeria.

    With the merger of the three political parties in Nigeria in 2013, she emerged the Interim National Women leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) – a position she held till her appointment to the Board of Trustees of the APC in 2014, a position she holds till today

    During her tenure as the APC National Women Leader, Sharon established the APC Young Women’s Forum to mentor and sponsor young female politicians. She has continued to organize and participate in leadership, training and mentoring of young women.

     

    Philantropy

    Ikeazor runs a prison outreach program that pays the fines of awaiting trial persons and also undertakes free legal representation for some inmates. She founded a non-governmental organization, The Wakiliyan Mata Empowerment Initiative for the Internally Displaced Women, who are given back their dignity by disbursement of interest-free loans to start small scale businesses.

    Ikeazor is the Vice President of Women in Politics Forum which she co-founded to build the capacity of female politicians across political lines.

    As a firm believer and advocate for the girl-child education, she is sponsoring a number of girls through primary and tertiary education. In 2016 she emerged APC Senatorial Candidate for Anambra Central Zone.

     

    Transforming PTAD

    Ikeazor was appointed Executive Secretary of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) by President Buhari on September 26, 2016.

    She has restored hope to the Nigerian Pensioners. Prior to the establishment of the PTAD, the history of pension administration in Nigeria especially as it concerns government pensioners has been nothing to write home about.

    In just two years of taking up the challenge of reforming pension administration in Nigeria, she has rightly justified her appointment as a round peg in a round hole given all that has been achieved since she came on board.

    Not only has she brought smiles to the faces of pensioners, she has equally created an innovative mind-set for PTAD employees which has given the agency a corporate outlook in all areas of its operation.

    Presently, PTAD has 229,863 pensioners under its administration with payments of about N14 billion to 99,764 civil service pensioners in addition to their gratuities.

    All retired federal permanent secretaries and heads of service under defined benefit scheme have been paid as well as 338 next of kin to deceased civil service pensioners. 3,537 Delta Steel Company pensioners were pay rolled in August 2018 for monthly pension for life.

    Also, 7,969 verified pensioners from North Central and South West have had their complaints resolved, their benefits recomputed and have been put back on the payroll as 5,382 Civil Service Pensioners have been paid a total sum of N1.7bn outstanding pension arrears. These pensioners are among the 7,969 Civil Service Pensioners who were enrolled on PTAD monthly payroll in March 2018 with a total payment of N71.5m for the month.

    Conversely, 2,830 Civil Service Pensioners, verified in the Northeast between November 2016 and January 2017, who were wrongly removed from the payroll prior to the establishment of PTAD, were put back on the payroll and paid their total arrears of N1,328,935,014.82 in June 2017. 8,564 Civil Service Pensioners verified in the South-South between January and February 2017 were pay-rolled and paid arrears of a total of N4, 984,219,446.99 between June and December 2017.

    In addition, PTAD has pay rolled 470 pensioners of New Nigeria Newspaper, 933 NICON Insurance pensioners, 11,000 NITEL/Mtel pensioners, as well as 284 pensioners of Nigeria Reinsurance after 16 years while 641 Federal Housing Authority pensioners and 79 from Nigeria Defence Academy (civilians) were added in May 2018.

    A total of 174 War Affected Retired Police Officers (WARPO) were paid the sum of N571,568,819.30 as gratuity and arrears in October 2017. This is coming 17 years after a pardon and amnesty was granted in 2000 by the Federal Government to the officers dismissed in 1971 after the Biafra War. PTAD has succeeded in giving hope and survival to Next-Of-Kins of deceased pensioners of the Health & Education sectors who after due verification and validation were paid a total sum of NGN1,923,500,441.03 being the entitlements of the respective breadwinners who had passed on.

    The Directorate has also been successful in the recovery of cash and non-cash pension assets totalling NGN21.87bn trapped in various insurance companies and underwriters that were hitherto managing the pension funds of the universities and parastatals.

    It is also put necessary machinery in place to ensure the recovery of the outstanding assets with these insurance companies and underwriters to enable it liquidate the huge unfunded pension liabilities inherited from the previous pension regimes.

    On how law and politics as contributed to her success as a public officer, she explained that the ethics of her profession has continued to fuel her passion for getting things done the way they ought to be done while politics has widened her horizon in managing people.

    She said: “As a legal practitioner with 30 years of experience, I am guided by the moral ethics of my profession to always do what is right while my political journey has taken me across the length and breadth of Nigeria, and I have been able to see the needs of my country.

    “After my involvement in the protest against poor airline management in Nigeria, I decided to join politics in a bid to effect the change I want to see in our nation, so I joined the Congress for Progressive Change and I was elected the National Women Leader and subsequently, Interim National Women Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a result of the merger involving ANPP, ACN and CPC.

    “I established the APC’s Young Women’s Forum to sponsor young female politicians and also organize series of trainings for our young politicians. Overall, being a lawyer and politician has been helpful in discharging my duties as the helmsman of PTAD.”

    A courageous and selfless social crusader, Ikeazor informed that her father, has been a great source of inspiration to her having given her equal training with her brothers which has helped lay a solid foundation for her success in life. She also mentioned her grandmother as another role model who inspired her.

    “My grandmother was a midwife and she was friends with Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti and Dr. Elizabeth Awoniyi; the first female doctor in western Nigeria. They were the first women from Nigeria to attend the women conference in Russia in the early 50s.

    “These two personalities taught me great lessons in life and that is why I don’t judge people by their gender, religion or tribe, I judge people by their ability to do the work that is given to them.

    “I also believe there is a Supreme Being that created us and we are accountable to Him at the end of our journey on earth, so for me living is not what you get, it is what you give. When pensioners are paid, I am always happy because we have given them hope,” she enthused.

    There is no doubt that her appointment into the council is well deserved because she is competent and capable to deliver the objectives and expectations of her appointors.

     

  • PTAD commences verification of 8000 FHA, Delta steel pensioners

    PTAD commences verification of 8000 FHA, Delta steel pensioners

    The Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate PTAD has begun the verification of about 8,000 pensioners of Delta Steel Company, Aladja and Federal Housing Authority under its Defined Benefit Scheme in three centres across the country.

    The pensioners are expected to centres are located in Delta state, Lagos and Abuja with relevant documents for verification in other to be included in the pension payroll of the government several years after leaving government service.

    At the commencement of the exercise in Abuja, Mr. Onofiok Ekon who said he retired as General Manager of Delta steel company in 1995 said he did not believe the exercise would hold, but was impressed with the arrangements made by PTAD which showed the Directorate is ready to attend to them. 

    Officials of the Directorate said the exercise is expected to last four days in Abuja. Eight days in Delta and five days in Lagos.

    The Executive Secretary of PTAD, Sharon Ikeazor who monitored the flag off of the exercise in Abuja said the process would involve documents review, biodata capturing and including them in the comprehensive database towards enrolment for monthly pension payment. 

    PTAD recently concluded the verification of those who are civil servants across the six geopolitical zones of the country, bring to three, categories of pensioners that have so far been verified.

    They had earlier concluded the verification of Police Pensioners as well as those of the Customs, Immigration and Prison services.

    In October, it began the verification of pensioners under its parastatals category.

    At the conclusion of the exercise, the agency is expected to present to the government a comprehensive data of pensioners under the old Defined Benefit Scheme.

  • PTAD cleared 15,600 ghost pensioners from FG payroll

    PTAD cleared 15,600 ghost pensioners from FG payroll

    The Pension Transitional Administration Directorate (PTAD) said it has discovered and removed 15,600 ghost pensioners from the Federal government payroll following verification exercises as part of efforts to sanitizing the payment of pensioners.

    Executive Secretary PTAD, Sharon Ikeazor said about 5,000 from New Nigerian Newspapers, Nicon Insurance, Nigerian ReInsurance and civilian retirees of Nigerian Defence Academy are undergoing final verification that started on Monday in Kaduna, Lagos and Abuja scheduled to end on Friday, she added that the pensioners once verified will enter the Federal government pension payroll within four months

    The PTAD boss told newsmen on Wednesday when she visited the NDA Staff Secondary School Kaduna where the verification is ongoing that the ghost pensioners were removed from the payroll in December 2016 because their accounts were not connected to any BVN numbers.

    According to her, when we took the ghost pensioners out of the payroll, there was no much outcry and only a few were actually genuine cases and they were put back on the payroll,” she said.

    Speaking further, she said that the present verification which is taking place simultaneously will not end there as the process is continuous,  adding that pensioners can visit their office in Abuja and Kaduna to complete their verification.

    “New Nigerian Newspapers is a special case, we have less than 700 pensioners in New Nigerian. We are doing it batch by batch. We are expecting 998 pensioners in Kaduna from the three agencies and about 5,000 in total.

    “We are conducting the entire verification for civil servants, police, parastatals and paramilitary. Civil service verification is expected to be concluded in 2018. We just began that of parastatals and hope to conclude it in 2018.

    “After the verification, there would be computation then after four months they would be on the payroll because it has to go through audit process before payment is made electronically. We maintain a TSA account with CBN and pensioners are paid from that account through e-payment,” she said.

    On the success of the ongoing verification, she said that well-articulated planning is making it successful. She, however, warned pensioners without BVN number to get one linked with their account as they cannot be paid without the BVN number. “We don’t have challenges because we planned and strategized ahead to have a seamless and smooth exercise.”

  • Abducted girls: APC Women urge FG to seek UN Council’s help

    The All Progressive Congress (APC) Women on Thursday urged the Federal Government to seek help from the United Nations Security Council in the bid to rescue the abducted students of Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State.
    A statement issued in Abuja by the Interim National Women Leader of the APC, Sharon Ikeazor, said the fact that the girls are yet to be rescued means that the Nigeria security agents are either overwhelmed or limited in their rescue operations.
    She said the Nigerian army is operating under very difficult situation, but urged them to double up efforts to rescue the girls.
    “To the Nigerian Army, we know you are operating under a very difficult situation and are demoralized but you must rise to the challenge.
    “You have won commendations and laurels in UN peace keeping missions outside of Nigeria. We believe you can do the same in your home country,” she said.
    “To our abducted daughters, please remember Malala the 16 year old Pakistani girl who stood up to Taliban and defended her right to education.
    “You all have courage despite the security situation in your area, to continue with your education.
    “You will come home and complete your education. We will not rest till every single one of you is released by your captors,” Ikeazor added.

     

  • 2015: APC will field more women, says women leader

    A ll Progressives Congress (APC) Interim Women Leader Mrs. Sharon Ikeazor yesterday said that the party would honour the “affirmative action on gender balance” by giving opportunities to more women to run for elective offices in 2015.

    She said: “There will be an increase in the number of women aspirants for elections into different offices under the APC. This is why we also need to sensitise the women and train them for political involvement”.

    Mrs. Ikeazor, a lawyer, spoke with reporters in Lagos, shortly before the Town Hall meeting organised by the Southwest APC Women Wing at the Lawn Ground, Lagos Television Complex, Agidingbi, Ikeja. Lagos State Deputy Governor Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, wife of Lagos State governor, Abimbola, Lagos State APC Women leader Mrs. Adetoun Adediran and wives of 57 council chairmen joined delegates from Lagos, Ogun and Oyo states for the meeting.

    The woman leader urged women to gird their loins for more responsibility, saying that APC would not relegate them to the background.

    Mrs. Ikeazor described 2015 as a decisive year for the APC, stressing that the party would take the country by storm. She said the party has better programmes and competent leaders to navigate the ship of the state to a safe harbour.

    She added: “The chance of the APC in 2015 is very bright. Combining the strength of the ACN, ANPP and CPC, the future is bright. It is the party that will form the next government”.

    Mrs. Ikeazor, however, expressed pessimism about the capacity of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to organise a successful poll. He urged stakeholders to gird their loins for a progressive battle and ponder on the competence of INEC to moderate the electoral process.

    Mrs. Ikeazor lamented that the electoral commission failed to lived up to expectation in Anambra State, adding that the inconclusive election is a national embarrassment.

    She said: “APC will have agencies that will enhance vote protection. Many were denied accreditation to observe the poll in Anambra. In my area, Obosi, no voting took place. APC is now prepared for 2015. We won’t allow a repeat of the Anambra charade in 2015″.

    The politician denied the insinuation that the APC is not strong in the Southeast, stressing that the recent poll showed that the party is popular in the zone.

    She said the ruling party in Anambra State was jittery over Dr. Chris Ngige candidature, adding their its chieftains colluded with the INEC to bungle the election in the APC’s stronghold.

    She added: “When you see the APC candidate and the candidates of other parties, the gap is wide. We are now moving to the Southeast to mobilise women. They have stake in the APC. APGA is a regional party. APC is a national party. APC is for all Nigerians”.

    Mrs. Adediran described the women as the backbone of the APC in the Southwest, urging them never to weaver in spirit. She applauded the performance of the five APC governors in the region, especially their programmes aimed at uplifting women.

    The Lagos APC women leader urged the governments at the state and local government levels to give more appointment to women as compensation for their political labour.

    Mrs. Adediran said: “APC has a better deal for women. As we prepare for future elections, I urge you to continue to give support to the APC governments to deliver more dividends of democracy to the people”.