Wife of the Vice President of Nigeria, Dolapo Osinbajo, former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s wife, Tola, and the Minister of Women Affairs, Aisha Alhassan, at a Women Summit held in Awka on Friday called on Nigerian women to get more involved in partisan politics, describing it as a way of choosing the best for their children.

Addressing the women that turned out in their large numbers for the summit held in Amawbia,

Mrs. Osinbajo explained that women if given a chance in leadership, would exhibit the same passion they exhibit in keeping their homes to ensure the welfare of all.

While saying that women sacrifice everything for others, she said: “Women think others first. We sort out everyone before we think about ourselves. If given opportunity to lead, they will do the same.

“We suffer for our family and we cannot let others control our lives. Politicians are the ones who control politics, so we must all get into politics so that we can choose our own people to control our lives.

“It is time for us to find our own. We must choose the right people to lead us and it must not be just any woman but the very best of us. We must choose the best woman to entrust the lives of our people in their hands.”

In her speech, Mrs. Obasanjo called on women to brace up and support each other for elective positions, adding that they remain the strength of politics in the country.

On her part, the Minister of Women Affairs lamented that anytime a woman came out for elective position, she was pulled down with bad tags that were not befitting of the prestigious role she plays.

Her words: “It’s only women that wake up very early in the morning and start caring for the family, go to work afterwards and return again to take care of everyone.”

She maintained that women are the reason families are working well adding: “So, why is it that when we come out for elective position so that we can make things work even better in the larger society, people begin to say that we are women and as such cannot do it.

“Go and look at all the countries of the world where women are the presidents and see how well things are working in those countries. We must unite and surprise ourselves now.”

The Wives of Anambra State Governor, Mrs. Ebelechukwu Obiano, and her Enugu State counterpart, Mrs Ugochi Ugwuanyi, as well as the State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs Ndidi Mezue, in their separate speeches, harped on the need for more women participation in politics.

In her speech, Mrs. Obiano said the summit was an annual event to herald women’s August meeting saying the summit was geared at giving women in the state a chance to take a stand on issues that can better their lives.

“Whatever we discuss here is what these women take home to the rural women and that constitutes their discussion during their August meeting in their various local government areas or their communities,” Mr. Obiano said.

She, however, hailed the vice president’s wife for the gifts she presented to the women in the state.

The gift items included 100 wrappers, 40 prayer booklets, 100 sets of plate and 200 bags of rice.

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