President Muhammadu Buhari flanked by The Chairperson of the Conference of Nigeria Female Parliamentarians (CONPEPA), Elizabeth Ative, ICT Manager, Maria Ude, Welfare Officer, Uju Onwudiwe, Mariam Garba Bagel, PRO, Ngunan Addingi, Blessing Okwuchi Nwagba, Justina Obadiah Nkom and others during an audience with the Conference of Nigeria Female Parliamentarians (CONPEPA) held at the Council Chambers State House, Abuja on Friday, May 25 2018.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday there is no deliberate attempt or plan to suppress female participation in the nation’s governance or politics.

President Buhari who said this while receiving female parliamentarians from across the states of the federation at the Presidential Villa, noted that men are not aggressive as wrongly perceived by some female political office holders.

“Please continue to do the good job of disabusing the minds of your colleagues that men are too aggressive. I remain grateful to you because when I tried to come to this office four times, three times I ended up in the Supreme Court because there were allegations of injustice and vote rigging.

“I am asking you to continue to disabuse the minds of your colleagues that there is no deliberate intention by the males to suppress you. If there is such intention, I see so many of you will not be represented here,” he said.

The lawmakers, under the umbrella of Conference of Nigerian Female Parliamentarians (CONFEPA), had asked that the president should intervene in reversing the marginalisation of women. They insisted that for every three positions, a woman should take one.

“Currently, many African and European nations are daily finding ways to include more women in governance. Some have elected or appointed women as heads of state, prime ministers, heads of foreign ministries and other key positions of decision making.

“It will not be out of place, Your Excellency, for women to be given such opportunities in our dear nation. Even God created them male and female,” the leader of the delegation, Elizabeth Ative said.

President Buhari in response appreciated the visit of the female lawmakers. He also appreciated women who supported and voted for him during elections.

“I also received a report from the field that some of the women were in labour but they went on the line (voting queue) to vote for me. Some were taken to labour room to deliver, and they came back to vote for me. I am very grateful for that,” he said.