By Gift Chapi Odekina
Following the rejection of four bills relating to women in the just concluded constitution review by the National Assembly yesterday, the deputy majority wipe in the House of Representatives and sponsor of one of the bills, Rep. Nkiruka Onyejeocha has expressed shock over the incidence.
According to Nkirurka, the bills that were shutdown has by implication taken the country backward, adding that it was an act of injustice against women in politics.
Recall that at Tuesday’s plenary where 68 reports of the Special Adhoc committee on the review of the 1999 constitution amendment act was considered, all bills concerning women’s inclusiveness in governance failed to scale through. Among which is the additional 111 seat reserved for women in parliament.
Speaking with newsmen in Abuja, Rep. Onyejeocha said if the bills had passed, it would have helped closed the gap where Nigeria is ranked 184 out of 187 in the world ranking of women’s participation in politics.
She explained that the reason for the proposed additional reserved seat for women in parliament was because the male folks were not ready to give out space for the female from the already existing 469 seats at the federal level as well as that at the states level.
“The shown of shame that took place yesterday has only taken this country backward by 50 percent because currently Nigeria is ranking 184 out of 187 country in women participation and that is a shame on us as giant of Africa as we claim.
“ People who signed their signatures on that bill came on the day of voting to reject same bill, that is an act of conspiracy, bias and gang up against women in politics.
“Nigeria women are hurting, what happened yesterday shows that these men do not have respect for women and don’t believe we can add value. This will only discourage women from participating in politics and that in turn is not good for our democracy.
“Some are coming up with the argument of funding why don’t they allow the presidency who has the power of the purse argue that.
“Others are saying is a northern agenda and I will tell you it is not true because all the northern lawmakers who sat with me yesterday voted in favour of these bill, it is not about the North its about personalities who do not want women representation .
“Nigeria women are waiting for them to come and explain to us what happened and we believe going forward this will guide women in every move .
Earlier, over 50 women groups on blocked the entrance of the National Assembly to protest the rejection of bills to promote the interest of women in the ongoing constitutional amendment.
The women, in their hundreds, who blocked the Federal Secretariat axis of the National Assembly from 10am, insisted they would not leave until the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, come out to address them.
Various entreaties to them to leave as their issues would be addressed fell on deaf ears as they insisted that Lawan and Gbajabiamila must come out to listen to them and do something urgently to reintroduce the bills that were rejected.
Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, came out to speak to them but they refused. Also ranking senator, Robert Borroffice, led a delegation of senators to appeal to the women, but they also refused.
Borroffice said they were from the National Assembly leadership and assured that their message would be taken back and dealt with, but the women were not to be deterred.
The women in their numbers sat on the the floor. They also brought bottles of water to rehydrate themselves as they waited. Some brought mats to sit on the floor of the gate of the National Assembly.
To keep themselves going, they were playing music and dancing and various supporters also addressed them.
One of their leaders, Dr Abiola Afolabi, said the treatment of the bills by National Assembly was a manifestation of historical injustices against Nigerian.
Dr Afolabi said it was unfortunate that the women are treated shabbily when they have so much to contribute to make the country better.
She said what the women requested in the constitutional amendment were just the bare minimum as there is still a lot of issues to be addressed.
She said the constitution is discriminatory against women.
She said the women were ready to rise up and take their destiny in their hands and called on on women across the country to rise up to the occasion.
The women said they felt disappointed and betrayed because they had the assurance of the National Assembly that the Bills would be passed.
