Women To Storm National Assembly, Demand Explanation From Akpabio Over Alleged Harassment Of Akpoti-Uduaghan

*15 Nigerian States Fail to Elect Female Representatives in 2023 State Assemblies

Fifteen states in Nigeria, including Abia, Rivers, Zamfara, and Kano failed to elect female representatives into their state Houses of Assembly in the 2023 General Elections.

This was revealed by a social inclusion and governance expert, Olumide Olaniyan, yesterday, in Abuja at the Technical Session on the Seat Reservation for Women Bill and the Public Presentation of the National Women Leaders Forum’s Operational Guidelines.

The technical session was organised by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) in collaboration with the National Women Leaders Forum (NWLF) of Political Parties in Nigeria.

Olaniyan, who said the lack of representation cut across the six geopolitical zones of the country, listed the other states as Osun, Imo, Yobe, Bauchi, Niger, Borno, Gombe.

Others are Jigawa, Kebbi, Katsina and Sokoto.

He lamented that despite women being 49 per cent of the country’s population, Nigeria ranks 180th out of 192 countries for women’s parliamentary representation.

Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, at the event, described the underrepresentation of women in positions of power in Nigeria as a major setback to national progress, stressing that it was a stain on the country’s collective conscience.

He said Nigeria’s democracy was incomplete due to the underrepresentation of women in positions of power.

According to the federal lawmaker, the Seat Reservation for Women Bill (HB1349), sponsored by him at the green chamber, seeks to address the profound imbalance and under-representation of women in the National Assembly and at sub-national level, stressing that it aims to dismantle systemic barriers and create a legislature that reflects the diversity of the nation.

Earlier, the President, National Women Leaders Forum of Political Parties in Nigeria, Amina Bryhm, called on the National Assembly to pass the Special Seat Bill.

Bryhm, who doubles as the National Women Leader, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), noted that it was essential to address the significant underrepresentation of women in Nigeria’s politics.

MEANWHILE, women have announced their readiness to storm the National Assembly to demand explanation from the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, on alleged ‘harassment’ of the Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

In her remarks, the former ActionAid Nigeria Country Director, Ene Obi, condemned the alleged ‘harassment’ of Senator Natasha Akpoti, describing it as unacceptable treatment.

She warned that women would march to the National Assembly to demand answers from the Senate President regarding the senator’s mistreatment.

Last week, the Senate session erupted into chaos, when Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is the chairman of the Senate Committee on the Diaspora and Nongovernmental Organisations, vehemently protested the ‘unauthorised’ relocation of her seat within the chamber.

Her objections put her at odds with Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who declined to acknowledge her concerns because she refused to address the chamber from her newly assigned seat.

The situation degenerated into arguments.