Aisha Buhari, Govs’ Wives Interested In Dubai Party To Gender Bills – Group

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, on Tuesday, berated the Ahmad Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila led Ninth National Assembly concerning its plan to dump the pro-women bills which members voted on and rejected in the current amendments to the 1999 Constitution.
According to the group, the wife of the President, Aisha Buhari, and the 36 governors’ wives choose to celebrate the birthday of Aisha Buhari in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, the same day they could have convinced the male-dominated National Assembly to go through with the pro-women provisions in the ongoing constitution amendment.
HURIWA, in a statement by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, also stated that the Ninth Assembly has veered into the negative side of national history as they did not give women equal roles as men in government.
It could be recalled that about four-gender-related bills did not go through at the Senate and the House of Representatives last week and this has sparked condemnations both within and outside the National Assembly.
Reacting, HURIWA’s Onwubiko said, “It is unfortunate that the Ninth Assembly has insisted that it won’t pass the pro-women provisions that would have been included in the yet-to-be amended constitution. The immediate consequence is that the current set of legislators in Abuja have entered the national book of infamy as reactionary elements who are afraid of their shadows because the majority of them can’t win in a free and fair contest without bribing voters and the Independent Electoral Commission.
“It is the fear for their political future because their political status now is tainted by corruption and bribery that is why they are scared that if the enabling legislative environment is created for women participation in politics, they do not have any further prospects.
“Their parasitic nature on the political system has made them resort to fighting tooth and nail to prevent the revolutionary laws that would have resulted from the affirmative action and the other pro-women progressive legislations.
“Nigeria must learn from neighboring Liberia which produced Ellen Johnson Sirleaf as President for 12 unbroken years. Nigeria must learn from Tanzania which currently has Samia Suluhu Hassan as President. Nigeria must learn from the United States which currently has Kamala Harris as Vice-President. Nigeria must learn from world nations providing the atmosphere for women to thrive in politics as well as other areas. The focus should be on capacity and competence and not masculine ego with empty heads.
“HURIWA calls for a repeat of the vote because the last vote was done like a secret cult. However, going forward, there have to be transparent free, fair, accountable, and publicly advertised votes so Nigerians can see who voted and who rejected the credible legislation to empower women’s political participation.
“The President’s wife, Aisha Buhari; the Vice-President’s wife, Dolapo Osinbajo; as well as the wives of the 36 state governors now that they must have returned from their birthday ceremony in Dubai, must be vocal at this time to press home their demands. Failure to do this is a betrayal to womanhood.”