+ As Aisha Buhari Declares Support For Female Candidates

The wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, has declared her support for female candidates vying for different elective positions irrespective of their political parties in Nigeria.

Buhari said the support became necessary considering the low level of women participation in politics, especially at the grassroots level.

She said this on Thursday while declaring open the Women Political Aspirants Advocacy Summit in Abuja.

The summit was organised by the National Centre for Women Development (NCWD), National Council for Women Societies and Women in Politics Forum in Collaboration with the Office of the Wife of the President.

The wife of the President charged women not to be discouraged and aspire for different political offices in order to have a say in the decision making bodies in the society.

She said voting for women would guarantee access to clean drinking water, hygiene as well as improved maternal and child health.

Buhari said election of women is achievable because women make up the larger body of voters and as such can determine the fate of any election, adding that religious and political leaders should support this project.

She also called on women to support each other, especially when more than one are vying for the same position.

Buhari appealed to political parties to implement the 35 per cent affirmative action by ensuring effective gender mainstreaming in the affairs of their party.