Presiding Officer: Women Coalition Threatens Inauguration of 10th National Assembly With Lawsuits Over Exclusion

A Coalition For Women Participation in Governance and Leadership (CFWPGL) has threatened to take legal action to stop the inauguration of the Nigeria 10th National Assembly if it fails to consider women as presiding officers in the House of Representatives and all State Assemblies. The coalition made up of over 2000 women’s groups disclosed this […]

A Coalition For Women Participation in Governance and Leadership (CFWPGL) has threatened to take legal action to stop the inauguration of the Nigeria 10th National Assembly if it fails to consider women as presiding officers in the House of Representatives and all State Assemblies.

The coalition made up of over 2000 women’s groups disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Secretary of the coalition, Atinuke Olaolu, in Abuja.

The CFWPGL decried the abysmal number of women that emerged in parliament in the 10th assembly saying it negated the 35% affirmative action of women in governance.

The statement noted that it is tragic that in a time Nigeria is expected to grow into leadership of its women population, they are rather edging them out.

The coalition therefore said it had 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.

The statement read: “The CFWPGL has decried the abysmal number of women that emerged in parliament in the 10th assembly.

“It is tragic that in a time Nigeria is meant to be growing into leadership, its women population are rather edging them out. Unfortunately the federal government has aided this hanging of women by the gallows by also been in court with Nigerian women.

“They hereby demand that a woman must be considered for as presiding officer in the Federal house of representatives and all state assemblies with ranking members must consider women who are ranking in order to emerge as presiding officer and chair significant committees.

“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 that 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.

“It is an obvious mechanization by the misogynistic advances of the men in parliament to discredit whatever gains Nigerian women have had so far by edging them out.”

The statement also demanded for the review of five gender bills which were rejected by the 9th assembly.

“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,” the statement added.