Nigeria ’s First Lady Mrs Patience Goodluck Jonathan has charged wives of Governors of the
36 states to stem up actions towards the political empowerment of women in 2011
as well as join the crusade against kidnapping and hostage taking in the
country.    

Mrs. Jonathan stated this over the weekend during the flag
off of women for change initiative in Abuja. She said women are agent of change 
and possess the propensity to develop the economic well being of the people. 

Mrs. Jonathan said the success of the women’s quest for
political emancipation and actualization of the 35 percent affirmative action
on elective and appointive positions in various states depends on the ability
of the governors wives to mobilize the support of their husbands towards these
goals.  

According to her, “the success of this effort depends on the
wives of the governors to ensure that more women get nominated and elected in
2011 election through the instrumentality of their husbands”. 

Nigerian First Lady who condemned the high rate of
kidnapping cases in the country charged the women to intensify efforts in
stamping out the menace adding that the kidnappers are born of mothers. 

   Minister for women affairs and social development Mrs.
Josephine Anenih said the women have opportunity now than ever to have more
representative in governance.    

In her contribution, wife of the Rivers State Governor, Dame
Judith Amaechi who went biblical said the women’s effort will receive a boost
through the support of God and stating that women agitation for 35 percent
affirmative action which goes beyond religious inclination and tribe has
brought unity among the Nigerian women.    

She charged Nigerian women to explore the new found love and
unity among them to take their pride of place in the national gender agenda. 

She expressed the willingness of the governors wives to help
in actualizing the 35 percent affirmative action.