First Lady laments low number of women in key positions 

Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja

The wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, has lamented the low participation of women in decision making bodies in the country.

According to her, the role of women is one of the important determinants of development in any administration.

She said this when at an audience with All Progressives Congress (APC) state women leaders who paid her a courtesy visit Monday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Mrs. Buhari called on more women to participate in politics so as to make it easy to actualize the 35% affirmative action. She called on women leaders to rally members to achieve this and encourage candidates with capacity for leadership and integrity to contest for elective positions.

In a statement by Director of Information to the First Lady, Suleiman Haruna, Mrs. Buhari commended the women leaders over the unity they have exhibited, saying it was encouraging.

“It is this unity that has led you to come up with a forum to speak with one voice,” Mrs. Buhari said, expressing the hope that their unity will endure, even among women at the state level and at the grassroots.

The First Lady 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.

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 that, as mobilizers of women at the grassroots, they are witnesses to the good things she was doing, especially in empowering 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.

Also speaking at the event was the wife of the Vice President, Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo who commended the unity among the women leaders and urged them to continue to show a good example by managing the affairs of women in their states well.

At the event were notable 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.