In the event that women are not given consideration for the positions of presiding officers in the Federal House of Representatives and the State Assemblies, the Coalition for Women Participation in Governance and Leadership (CFWPGL) has vowed to file a lawsuit to prevent the upcoming inauguration of the 10th National Assembly.
The 200 women’s organizations that make up the body are also calling for a reexamination of five gender measures that the 9th assembly rejected. Atinuke Olaolu, the coalition’s secretary, said this in a statement released on Tuesday in Abuja.
She claims that although women make up over 50% of the population in Nigeria, they are still disenfranchised and excluded from positions of political leadership.
The CFWPGL expressed outrage at the pitiful representation of women in parliament during the 10th assembly, claiming that it undermined the 35% affirmative action of women in government.
The statement said it is disastrous that at a time when Nigeria’s women are supposed to be rising to the top, instead they are edging them out.
In order to block the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly in the interest of equity and justice, the coalition said it had no choice but to file a complaint with a court of competent jurisdiction, making their demands clear in the submitted statement.
The statement read, “We hereby demand that a woman must be considered for as presiding officer in the Federal house of representatives and all state assemblies.
“They must consider women who are ranking in order to emerge as presiding officers and chair of significant committees,” Olaolu said.
“We have no option than to seek redress in a competent court of jurisdiction and obtain an injunction that would stop the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly in the interest of equity and justice”
She outlined how the coalition has been urging for a more inclusive political system that represents the variety of the Nigerian population, but bemoaned the fact that women were being schemed out at a time when the nation was supposed to advance the makeup of its political leadership.
“Only 78 Women in total won in the entire election in the last 2023 Election, with only these women returning categorically to the 10th House of Representatives as ranking members while the Senate has 3 new comers in the red chambers, the women at the HoR are as follows ; (APC/Abia); Beni Lar (PDP/Plateau), Khadijat Abba-Ibrahim (APC/Yobe), Zainab Gimba (APC/Borno), Blessing Onuh (APC/Benue), Boma Goodhead (PDP/Rivers), Aisha Dukku (APC/Gombe), Adewunmi Onanuga (APC/Ogun),, Tolulope Akande- Shadipe ( APC/Oyo , Taiwo Oluga (APC/Osun) and Miriam Onuoha (APC/Imo).
“However it is only Rt. Hon Princess Miriam Onuoha has declared and thrown her hat in the race for Speakership of the House of Representatives and Nigerian women are solidly behind her and other women at the state assemblies who are also ranking for presiding offices.”
The statement also added, “The Coalition for womens’ participation in governance and leadership is also calling out the president-elect to put into practice his promise to include women’s participation at least 35% as demanded by the Revised Gender policy.
“He must also remember that this is a true test of the commitment to remove Nigeria from the red list and the hall of shame for countries who have no duty to ending all forms of violence against women.”
(Arise News)