The wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, has decried the low participation of women in the country’s governance.
She called on more women to participate in politics so as to make it easy to actualize the 35% affirmative action under her husband’s administration.
According to her, the role of women is one of the important determinants of development in any administration.
Mrs Buhari said this when she had audience with All Progressives Congress (APC) state women leaders who paid her a courtesy visit Monday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
“I urge you all as women leaders to rally members and also encourage candidates with capacity for leadership and integrity to contest for elective positions in order to achieve the 35% affirmative action under my husband’s administration,” she said.
Mrs Buhari commended the women leaders over the unity they have exhibited, saying it has given her courage.
“It is this unity that has led you to come up with a forum to speak with one voice and I hope that this unity will endure, even among women at the state level and at the grassroots,” she said.
The wife of the President also called on the women to continue to support the activities of the party, saying all the empowerment and medical outreach programmes she undertakes through Future Assured programme are not only to complement party manifesto but to ensure more inclusion and economic empowerment among women.
Also speaking at the event, wife of the Vice President, Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo commended the unity among the women leaders and urged them to continue to show good example by managing the affairs of women in their states well.
Speaking earlier, The APC Women leader FCT, Mrs. Hailmary Aipoh recognized the motherly role of Mrs. Buhari, saying they are proud to have her as mother of the nation.
She said as mobilizers of women at the grassroots, they are witnesses to the good things she is doing especially to empower women.
Aipoh expressed optimism that the party will succeed in executing its programmes and “very soon there will be testimonies from Nigerians”, adding that the leaders have resolved to continue to work together and support the good works of the ruling party.
Mrs. Aipoh led a team made up of women leaders from the 36 states.
At the event were women leaders including the Deputy National Women Leader of the APC, Chief Tina Adike and wife of the Governor of Sokoto state, Mrs. Maryam Mairo Tambuwal.