The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), has called for the reservation of certain leadership positions for women in the 9th National Assembly.
CDD Director, Ms Idayat Hassan made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.
“In the spirit of inclusion, women should be given some of the leadership positions in the national assembly.
“I personally do not understand why the emphasis is on geopolitical zones, the All Progressives Congress (APC) must accord women and youth positions in the leadership, ’’ she said
Hassan said the quest for gender equality would not be achieved without the implementation of the gender policy provision for 30 per cent in appointive positions.
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She said that is the only way women representation would receive a boost in the new administration.
“The just concluded election has opened our eyes to the urgency of an affirmative action law to improve women representation in governance,” she said.
She said it is the only way to enhance the participation of women in governance.
Mr Austin Aigbe, Senior Programme Officer, CDD said it is true that the number of elected women in the 2019 election declined.
Aigbe said the way to breach the gap in the proportion of women in governance would be through appointive positions.
“The clamour is with good intention.
“If political parties failed to enhance the representation of women through elective positions, the elected government, in this case, the APC must do the needful to close the gender gap in governance.
“Though, the advocacy supports 35 per cent affirmative principle, we should truly to set that as minimum standard of representation for women in Nigeria, ’’ she said.
According to Aigbe, the argument in the national assembly is that none of the elected female senators is a ranking member.
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He faulted the claim saying Sen. Remi Tinubu is highly qualified and ranked.
“I have personally looked at the politics in the national assembly, two leaders; the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
“I think we can trade off, if Remi Tinubu is not contesting, it will make lots of sense to support another very ranking member of the House of Representatives.
“Ms Nkeiruka Onyejecha, who is from the South East can contest for the position, ” he said.
Aigbe said that supporting Onyejecha would be a game changer for the APC in the quest for balancing of the geo political zone representation.
He said those at the helm of affairs in the house would be beneficiaries of Nigeria’s image in the global space in terms of gender representation in the parliament.
He said during the “change agenda’’ the APC government did not have good record of inclusion in governance.
“Now that it is Next level let the change begin,” he said. (NAN)
