AMAC WOMEN CALL FOR UNITY AND MUTUAL SUPPORT WITHIN ITS RANKS, BEYOND PARTY LINES
By: Wisdom Acka
Women in the Abuja Municipalea Council (AMAC) have identified disunity, lack of mutual support, and political sentiment as major barriers hindering their active participation and progress in governance, urging a collective shift toward capacity-building and strategic alliances ahead of the 2027 general elections.
This self-assessment took place during a technical session at the AMAC critical women stakeholders’ strategic town hall meeting themed “Beyond Conversation: AMAC Women as Catalysts for Peace, Unity, Governance and Development Ahead of 2027,” held in Abuja on Tuesday, September 15, 2026.
Speaking at the event, the Convener and Special Adviser to the AMAC Chairman on Women Affairs, Hon. Loveth Isekor, emphasized that political endorsement and leadership positions must be earned through proven capacity rather than sentiment alone.
She challenged women to stop expecting automatic backing solely on gender lines without demonstrating leadership merit.
”I always tell my gender: as a woman, don’t think because you are a woman you expect other women to rally blindly,” Isekor stated. “All women have what it takes to sit at any decision-making table, but we cannot be gender-biased and refuse to give support where we find superior capacity. What we want is positive impact.”
Corroborating this stance, the President of the National Council of Women’s Societies (NCWS), FCT Chapter, Aisha Baba Ringo, declared that the era of mere talk and unfulfilled communiqués was over.
She charged women to dismantle internal rivalries and build structured networks to secure political relevance.
”For decades, we have sat in conference halls and issued communiqués on women’s inclusion.
The era of mere conversation is over,” Ringo noted. “If we want a seat at the table ahead of 2027, we must not wait to be invited. We must build our own infrastructure, support one another, pull each other up, shun petty division, and forge a formidable, united front.”
In his keynote address, former FCT Senator, Distinguished Senator Philip Tanimu Aduda, CON, MFR, stressed the importance of experience and tested legislative capacity over attractive political promises.
Reaffirming his commitment to female advancement, Aduda, who was represented by Director, Reforms Coordinator and Service Improvement, FCT Administration, Dr. Jumai Ahmadu, pledged expanded access to affordable financing for women-owned businesses, vocational and digital training, maternal healthcare, and a dedicated consultative platform for women across the six Area Councils.
”Women are not merely beneficiaries of development; they are leaders, peacebuilders, and pillars of our communities,” Aduda said, quoting Shirley Chisholm’s adage that women must bring their own folding chairs if denied a seat at the table.
He urged women to hold political aspirants accountable and evaluate candidates strictly based on their track records.
Addressing the gathering, the Executive Chairman of AMAC, Christopher Zakka Maikalangu, urged the women to leverage their numerical strength by organizing into functional cooperatives to access municipal funding and empowerment programs.
Maikalangu noted that while individual handouts are unsustainable, his administration is prepared to release up to ₦30 million to registered women’s cooperative associations in Area 10 to jumpstart trade and small businesses across the council’s wards.
He also urged participants to rise above partisan affiliations and work cohesively for candidates capable of bringing federal projects and economic relief to the FCT.
Highlighting grassroots inclusion, the Creative Director of Gender Strategy at AIT, Dr. Adaora Onyechere Sydney-Jack, commended the launch of the LADDER Initiative during the meeting.
She noted that a bottom-up governance structure ensures women at the community level are economically integrated and politically empowered long after election cycles end.
