The all-female Exquisite Royal Pearls Club, Ugep, says while it recognises and respects the clear fact that members of the organisation, at individual level(s), may belong to one political party or the other and can openly campaign for preferred candidates as well as make personal political decisions, such activities cannot and should not be misconstrued to mean the organisation has endorsed any candidate or group of candidates for the 2023 general elections beginning this month.
Jesam Obeten, President General and Gloria Inah, Secretary General of the group, who signed a document currently in circulation, stated specifically that recent events and developments, appear to be pushing the wrong narrative that “the Exquisite Royal Pearls Club, Ugep, is affiliated to, associated or connected to any political party in Nigeria, based on the political activities of one or more members.”
It was further stated that, the objective of the group “…is the empowerment of the vulnerable Ugep girl child through scholarships, skills acquisition as well as mentorship and relevant training” as a way of contributing their “quota to the enhancement and promotion of the Ugep culture and economic development.”
In the 20 years of her existence, the group insists that she has remained non-partisan and only vigorously educated the public on the need to take part in the electoral process by obtaining PVCs, and voting orderly, credible candidates into office.
While the document appealed to members to accurately moderate the level of their involvement in politics so that this does not erase the clear objective of the group, she called on elected officials to live up to the expectations of ordinary Nigerians as it becomes extremely difficult by the day, to survive in the country.
