Run For Elective Positions In 2015, First Lady Urges Nigerian Women

First LadyThe First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, on Tuesday urged more Nigerian women to vie for elective positions in 2015.

Dame Jonathan said this in Owerri in a message to the inauguration of Coordinators of Women for Change and Development Initiative (W4CDI), her pet project.

The First Lady was represented by Dr Rabi Ibrahim, the National Coordinator of W4CDI.

She said that the project (W4CDI) was created to enable women have a formidable force in the political, economic and social spheres of life.

Dame Jonathan advised the coordinators to carry other women along and ensure that the objective for setting up the Initiative was realized.

She expressed gratitude to President Goodluck Jonathan for giving Nigerian women the opportunity to serve in different capacities and hoped that more women would be appointed into his cabinet.

Dame Jonathan said the essence of W4CDI was to ensure that women occupied their rightful positions in politics.

She urged other women to support and encourage those who would take up the challenge.

The South-East Zonal Coordinator of W4CDI, Mrs Uzuamaka Obianujunwa, said the project was established in 2010 to sensitise, empower and mobilise women to participate actively in governance.

She said that the initiative was also meant to foster gender equality in the society.

“The First Lady has been at the forefront canvassing for 35 per cent participation of women in governance in terms of political appointment and elective positions.

“We are in Imo State to bring to the consciousness of an average Nigerian woman, her importance in governance in the country and the world at large,” Obianujunwa said.

She said that the project represented the interest of an average Nigerian woman irrespective of tribe, religion, political or ideological leaning.

Earlier in her speech, the Imo Coordinator, Mrs Ifeoma Ndukwu described W4CDI as a non-governmental organization for women between the ages of 18 and above.

She thanked the president’s wife for coming up with such a project that had impacted on the life of many women in the society.

Ndukwu promised on behalf of the coordinators to carry women in the state along and ensure that the project succeeded. (NAN)