….vow to use their numerical strength to unseat lawmakers
By Haruna Salami
Women groups under aegis of Women in Nigeria, WIN have vehemently protested the shutting down of women empowerment bills during the constitutional amendment in the National Assembly.
The women comprising about 20 different groups gathered at the main entrance to the National Assembly causing diversion of traffic to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF gate and some, especially the upper class assessing the complex through the Presidential Villa gate.
Leader of the group Abiola Akiode and Ebere Ikedu said “we are here to demand that the wrong that was done to Nigerian women should be redressed”.
“What we saw yesterday is a manifestation of historical injustices that have been affecting the participation of the voice of Nigerian women. Yesterday, we realized that people who are representing us are not representing 50% of the population.
“What we saw in the National Assembly yesterday, disdain, the impunity with which the gender bills were thrown out, is enough to tell us, what can you do. Who are the women, what power do they have? This reduces us human beings.
“That is why it is important for us to say that this country belongs to all of us we are co-owners in Nigeria. We cannot be pushed down. If it is pen they used in what they did, if it is electronic voting, they should go back to correct them.
The women vowed to remain at the gate until the Senate President Ahmad Lawan, Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, Speaker House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila and the Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Wase “come out here and explain to us what they would do address the wrong. A wrong has been done and we are standing firmly here. This is day one.
“We are not going to allow these like other times because we won’t be able to get to this level until maybe another 10 years. So we are waiting for the Senate President, we are waiting for the Speaker to come out here to explain to us”.
Speaking on the visit of the Wife of the President, Aisha Buhari about a week ago to canvass support for gender bills and the presence of Wife of the Vice President and the Minister of Women Affairs during the voting on Tuesday (yesterday), leaders of the protesting women described the action of lawmakers as “a show of shame”, adding “it also showed that 50% of the lawmakers didn’t go to school.
“We saw illiteracy because it took the speaker to introduce every bill and explain it as if he was talking to nursery school children and we saw most of them not knowing how to vote. We saw that yesterday.
The women said they are not complaining any more, adding “there will be pay back time. History will not be kind to all those who voted against us yesterday. They voted against their wives, mother’s and daughters. And shamelessly, you go home and say you are head of the family when you don’t have their interest at heart.
“On our part, we are waiting for the Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Speaker, Deputy Speaker to tell us how the are going to correct the wrong, otherwise we will use our numerical strength to take their positions.
They thanked President Buhari for assenting to the Electoral Act, “which means no man can snatch ballot boxes again to be at the National Assembly”.
