2019 Polls: Women Dare Political Parties. Demand 35% Affirmative Action
BY COBHAM NSA, ABUJA – Ahead of the 2019 general elections, the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS) said better political deals for women, including the 35 per cent affirmative action will no longer be negotiable.
Accordingly, the foremost women group in Nigeria, insist juicy political offices, comprising but not limited to Vice President, Deputy Governors and Vice Chairmen of Local Government must be opened to women by political parties like their men counterparts in all future elections.
In addition, they warned the National Assembly to desist from presenting itself by words and deeds as working against the interest of Nigerian women.
Rising from a 2-day Nigeria Women Political Stakeholders Summit in Abuja, with the theme: “Increasing the Participation of Women in Governance process in Nigeria,” the group said women must not be taken for granted again by political parties or groupings in all their political calculations going forward.
The position was part of the Summit’s 10-point communiqué signed by David Okoror with Nigerian women challenged to not only register enmasse as members of existing political parties but also become active participants in the nation’s political space.
The Summit, organized by the NCWS agreed that if a woman should emerge as a President, Governor and Chairman of Local Government a man should be the vice, even as the women vowed that; “The Nigerian women will henceforth vote en bloc for political parties that agree to the above demand, and that prioritise women issues and give women 35 per cent affirmative action.”
It also said; “The 35 per cent affirmative action should come in both political party structure, nomination for elections and appointive offices”, adding that; “Government at all levels, donor agencies, civil society organisations and faith based organisation interested in equality and the development of Nigeria should support the capacity building and financial empowerment of women interested in politics and governance.’’
The summit further urged Nigerian women shun divisive acts and tendencies by closing their ranks and building synergy across board, stressing that progress would only be made if the womenfolk unite and present common fronts in future political engagements.
On the perceived adversarial mind-set of the National Assembly towards Nigerian women, the Summit said it has become imperative for the lawmakers to pass all relevant legislation concerning the female gender before them in order to disprove this unpleasant public perception.
Furthermore, the Communique proposed that; “The NCWS, being the umbrella organisation for women associations in Nigeria, for the purpose of fairness and equity should be well represented in INEC board”, adding that; “INEC should review extant rules and regulations to become friendlier towards encouraging female participation in the political process.”
It is the Summit’s resolution that Nigerian women must believe in themselves and aggressively engage all stakeholders in preparing grounds to gun for elective offices come 2019 general elections.
