Over 200 women groups, including ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) on Wednesday blocked the entrance of the National Assembly to protest the rejection of the bill seeking to create more seats for women at both the National and State house of assembly.
The bill which was meant to guarantee the inclusion of women in governance failed as it could not garner 73 votes needed for it to be passed.
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- Disquiet as constitution amendment drags at N/Assembly
The chamber had turned down a bill to provide for more seats for women in the National and State Houses of Assembly and went against its earlier resolve to adopt a constitutional review that will actualize the 35 percent affirmative action for women.
The bill which was meant to guarantee the inclusion of women in governance failed as it could not garner 73 votes needed for it to be passed.
The women who came out in their numbers as early as 8am disrupted the free flow of vehicular movement at the entrance gate of the national assembly demanding to speak to either the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan or Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila.
The Manager, Women’s Rights Programme, ActionAid Nigeria, Nkechi Ilochi-Kanny, said that women groups have been pushing to ensure passage of a women-gender sensitive laws in Nigeria and the constitution review would have been done in the favor of women.
She lamented that unfortunately it was rejected by the National Assembly.
She said that if the bill was passed it could have helped in achieving gender equality in the country, as Nigeria cannot continue the way it was and seeing the Nigerian government and the policy makers making a mockery of women’s rights.
Also speaking at the Wednesday’s protest, the Executive Director, Women Advocates Research and Documentation Center (WARDC), Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, who lead an emergency media briefing on Tuesday night, attended virtually by over 300 participants, said that the overwhelming declining vote by the National Assembly on the women representation bill shows that the 9th Senate does not recognize the place of the women in the society
She told the representative of the Senate that the women will not bulge unless the Senate President come in person to explain why the National Assembly took that decision and what can be done to amend the motion that was talk on the bill.
“The men of the ninth national assembly, by their actions, have taken us backwards. Their actions undermine the importance and relevance of women’s contribution to the governance of Nigeria, including the key role women play to bring victory to political parties in elections at all levels across the country.
“Nigerian women, therefore, demand that all gender bills be reconsidered. We call on the national assembly to re-present these bills as a matter of urgency and ensure that they are passed.”
She also said the women will use the following hashtags: #NigerianWomenOccupyNASS; #BreakPoliticalBias; and #BreakConstitutionBias, to push the demands on social media.
The Director of Programmes, Yiaga Africa, Cynthia Mbamalu, said the civil society groups will demand the voting records of the constitution amendment bills.
She also said that it is not late for the federal lawmakers to right the wrongs.
A member of Momen in Politics Forum, Dr. Kali Ijeoma Aboma said women are tired of just holding women leader position in political parties.
She said, “We want to show strength and show the capability to lead in every leadership position. They disappointed us by throwing away our bill.
“We all know that women are the major voters in any election. And we are not asking for too much just 111 seats in the national assembly and for political parties to include women in their leadership position.”
Aboma also said if the National Assembly fail to assent to the bill, they would ensure that no woman vote during the next general elections.
Of the 68 legislation in the Constitutional Amendment, about five bills sought to promote more opportunities for women in political parties, governance and the society at large.
All the five bills were rejected by the lawmakers.
The women were later addressed by the Minority Leader of the Senate, Eyinnaya Abaribe, who said he supported the bills but was outvoted.
“I voted for everything for women. I voted for everything that you wanted. The record of the voting is a public document. It is your right to ask for it from the Senate President and the Speaker and publish it so that everybody will know,” he said.
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