Aisha Buhari, the wife of Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, urged APC supporters to rally behind female candidates on Saturday in Abuja.
Ahead of the party’s primary elections, she addressed a summit of female APC aspirants.
She explained that the summit’s goal was to unite the party’s female candidates so that they could win the party’s primary elections and the general election in 2023.
“I will be with you; I will stand by and defend you as the wife of the president,” she said.
According to her, in order to gain a foothold in politics, women must unite and work hard.
Aisha urged women to take responsibility for their own well-being in order to promote gender equality and increase the number of women in elected office.
“Our party’s efforts to increase female participation are commendable.
Her words, “I appreciate the party’s recent gesture of offering free nomination forms for female Aspirants,” are apt.
The APC announced in April that all elective offices in the general election of 2023 would be open to women candidates for the first time in the country’s history.
A Federal High Court in Abuja had just ruled that the government must implement a 35% affirmative action policy for women, and that was just 24 hours earlier.
However, female aspirants must pay the prescribed fees for submitting Expressions of Interest.
A 50 percent discount on the Expression of Interest and Nomination forms was offered to female candidates in the party prior to April’s waiver.
As part of her plea to the party’s leadership, Aisha requested that the 35 per cent affirmative action be included in the party’s Constitution to ensure that women’s aspirations for elected and appointed positions are protected.
She thanked the party’s leaders and Progressive Governors for their long-standing support of APC women and urged them to keep up the good work.
It is time to “believe in women and show us more solidarity during elections,” she said.
Aisha’s advice to the female candidates was to remain steadfast in their pursuit of political office.
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National Women Leader Betta Edu in her remarks lauded Mrs. Olusegun Obasanjo as an inspiration to women in Nigeria for her determination to fight for the rights of women.
When the president’s wife made her first appearance in Nigeria’s legislature to advocate for women’s rights, she said, “History will never forget you.”
Also, Aisha received praise from Edu for her role in persuading the party to provide free nomination forms to women candidates.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), a female aspirant expressed her desire to win the competitions, which she requested to remain anonymous.
An additional contender for the party’s flag, Nana Hauwa Ibrahim, from the Lafia-Obi Federal Constituency in Nasarawa State, expressed confidence in his ability to do so.
Because of the lack of democracy dividends since Nigeria’s return to democracy, her constituents are looking for a change of political landscape in their area.
