Constitution amendment: Prof. Greg Ibe swipes NASS over refusal to pass women affirmative action

Chinwe Ugele, Umuahia

Abia Gubernatorial hopeful, Prof Gregory Ibe has decried “the inability of the National Assembly to support women affirmative action by voting in favor of alterations to some gender related bills during the recent constitution amendment exercise.”

Reacting to the development which arose from the legislators of the two arms of the national assembly, Prof. Ibe said it was a lost opportunity for the women folks to be integrated into the mainstream of Nigeria’s politics through legislation .

The bill 35, sought to provide special seats for women in the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly and bill 37, targeted at ensuring affirmative action for women in political party administration.

Prof Ibe while commending members of both chambers of the National Assembly for their diligence in amending some contentious sections of the constitution said, “I however see their inability to overwhelmingly vote in favor of bills 35 and 37 respectively as a regrettable missed opportunity that will seriously hurt our politics in future. In fact, by this action, the nation missed a great opportunity of handing our daughters, sisters, wives and mothers an early International Women’s Day gift and setting a new agenda with brand new roles for female participation in the forthcoming 2023 general elections.”

He therefore appealed to the members of the 36 Houses of Assembly to correct the anomaly by voting in support of all gender bills that encourage women affirmative action.

In his words, “While enjoining Nigerian women not to lose hope, I want to urge honorable members of State Houses of Assembly across the country, to as a matter of urgent national importance, rise to the occasion by vetoing the apparent gender-insensitive resolutions of the national assembly when the exercise gets to the floor of their chambers as required by law.

“On our part, we shall continue to work with civil society organizations and other development partners to increase advocacy while mobilizing massively to ensure the enactment of women friendly laws, especially in Abia state.”

This is one of the several reactions that have trailed the recent failure of the national assembly to vote in favour of some bills seeking to promote gender balancing by expanding political participation for women in Nigeria during a constitution amendment exercise.