2015: Patience Jonathan Tells Women, Vote My Husband Again
The first lady has pleaded with Nigerian women to please
vote her husband again, so they can continue to benefit what they have been
enjoying from the present administration. Mrs Jonathan who was represented by
the Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe, at the opening of a
two-day National Conference on Women and Elections, with the theme, “Enhancing
Opportunities for Women Candidates”, said the women also need to remember that
the girl child education became more prominent under this government.
“I want to once again, urge you to continue to give support
to our dear President, who has shown that he is not only gender sensitive but
believes in the power and capacity of women to bring about change in society.
He has been doing his best to promote the interest of women in Nigeria. It is
now time for us to show him our appreciation for all he has been doing as he
seeks re-election“.
“It is gratifying that more families are today investing in
girls’ education and there are pointers to the fact that in the nearest future,
more women will be politically and economically independent.
“However, there is the need to create the enabling
environment to enhance women active participation in all areas of development.
We must as women begin to aggressively unite, network and build alliances
across gender divide in order to secure meaningful change,” she said.
The Women Affairs Minister, Hajia Zainab Maina, in her
speech at the occasion however regretted that women were not being taken along
in decision and law making.
“The number in terms of female representation in Nigeria
reflects the almost exclusion of women. With less than seven per cent
representation in elective positions, Nigerian women are among the less
represented women in any sense when critical decisions, especially law making
and distribution of the country’s resources that have unprecedented impacts on
their lives are made,” she said.
