Aisha Buhari, the wife of Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, has urged women in the All Progressive Congress (APC) to develop innovative tactics to increase women’s involvement in decision-making.
Mrs. Buhari was speaking as she greeted Liberia’s Vice-President, Dr. Jewel Howard-Taylor, who was in Nigeria for the two-day first APC National Progressive Women Conference, which would take place on January 18 in Abuja.
“One Voice: Women Uniting for Progress” is the conference’s theme.
The First Lady stated that stakeholders must assist the efforts of Nigerian women in achieving their aspiration for greater political engagement.
“We need to develop better ways to increase our chances of having a respectable number of elective posts and other possibilities for our women,” she added.
“As women, we must also encourage one another in order to improve our prospects.”
Mrs. Buhari also expressed confidence that the conference will give a forum for stakeholders to debate and share ideas in order to chart a new road for increased women empowerment and involvement in the ruling party’s decision-making.
“Women must be encouraged to participate more in politics, and the country requires our participation,” she remarked.
“As a result, we must look ahead to see how we can best work together to unify women in the next campaigns ahead of the 2023 elections.”
Mrs. Buhari welcomed the visiting vice-president for his visit, saying it would improve APC women’s morale ahead of their convention.
“I am confident that your experience as a former Liberian First Lady and a political professional would undoubtedly bring value to the occasion,” she stated.
Howard-Taylor, for one, emphasized the need of women being at the decision-making tables in society, as well as the necessity for additional resources to be allocated to women’s empowerment, maternity and child health.
Mrs. Buhari, on the other hand, could utilize her position as President of the African First Ladies Peace Mission to enlighten and organize women across the region to achieve greater women involvement in politics, according to Howard-Taylor.
Stella Okotete, a member of the APC’s Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), said the party has established a young progressive women academy with the goal of empowering 20 million women nationwide.
The conference, which is scheduled for January 18, will discuss a variety of topics, including gender equality in politics and a bigger role for women in government.
Over 1,000 women from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory are scheduled to attend.
The participants will discuss measures to improve women’s political rights, address challenges to women’s engagement in democratic processes, and develop tactics to get them fully participating.
