…Urges FG, APC to declare state of emergency on dwindling number of women in parliament
By Gift Chapi-Odekina
As the jostle for the Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives gain momentum, a female Parliamentarian Hon. Mariam Onuoha has declared her intention to contest.
Onuoha who unveiled her 7point agenda on Wednesday called on the Federal Government and All Progressives Congress APC to declare state of emergency on dwindling number of women in parliament
She said, “Nigeria’s protocol list can no longer be taken without the Female Gender on it”.
Part of the agenda she said will be to introduce the digitization of activities of Rules and Business Committee to improve effective record management without conflicts and introduce periodic strategic Executive-Legislature dialogue for effective intervention by the National Assembly.
According to the Speakership aspirant, the 10th Assembly promises to be a water shed of some sort for Nigeria’s fledgling democracy”.
Onuoha who has been re-elected for the second term, represents Isiala-Mbano/Onuimo/Okigwe Federal Constituency of Imo State on the platform of the APC, is the only woman in the race.
She assures that her emergence will create opportunities for NASS-stakeholders engagement to provide access for public participation in the law making process, promote unity and cohesion among members across party lines and Geo-political divide, enhance Committees’ financial independence to promote their effectiveness among others.
Hon. Onuoha therefore appealed to the male contestants to step down for her, even as she said that over 55 per cent of valid votes casts during elections are women.
She said: “The emergency of the dwindling number of women in parliament calls for a deliberate action, an action that will bridge the gender gap, an action that is a call for the leadership of the National Assembly to embrace the stance for a woman of competence and experience.
“I honorably call for my fellow contestants to support me, a woman with competence, integrity, vision driven mission and a true display of diversity as well as inclusive leadership centered on equity. No doubt our President-Elect His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a he-for-she who has always empowered women in all spheres of life, having picked a woman as his running mate as the governor of Lagos state and also supported his amiable wife to become a senator in the parliament in line with the goals of the UN’S 35% affirmative action for women”.
She added also that her becoming the Speaker this will afford Nigeria the rare opportunity of gender balancing and youth inclusiveness in its political/leadership landscape.
“To this effect, my election as the speaker House of Representatives will therefore afford Nigeria the rare opportunity of killing the two ubiquitous birds of gender balancing and youth inclusiveness in its political/leadership landscape, with one stone. Truthfully, I Princess Miriam amply represents the twin engine essence of Nigeria’s youth and female status quo whom the circumstances of our political exigencies have made an endangered and vulnerable specie.
“Thus, having gained very extensive professional cum business experience in the course of my career, seamlessly I am a quintessential entrepreneur, boardroom strategist, vis-à-vis an avid player in the real estate, facility management, and management consultancy sectors of our economy.
“I also bring extensive and robust political experience to the table having held multiple political appointments before being consecutively elected as a member of the 9th and 10th Assemblies representing the good people of Isiala-Mbano, Onuimo and Okigwe Federal Constituency of Imo State, a position that amply offered her the opportunity to establish herself as a legislator per excellence with three Bills to her credit and stellar performances in major committees of the House of Representatives, including as pioneer chairman house committee on disability.
“Finally, I am in this race for the speakership of the 10th Assembly to bring fresh ideas and pragmatic solutions to the harrowing current challenges of national cohesion to proffer a new Legislative Agenda for addressing the current debilitating issues of our dwindling economy, mass poverty, promoting bills that supports massive industrialization of the economy to create more jobs, inclusivity and unity of the Nigerian State”, she added.
Hon. Onuoha has a Bachelor of Science degree in Estate Management from University of Lagos Akoka and a Masters in Environmental Planning & Protection, from University of Abuja.
She equally has a rich professional exposure that straddles the Estate/facility Management, Environmental consultancy and logistics, the International Development and Civil Society Sector
