Women demand Reps speakership, principal offices others in 10th Assembly

Women in Politics Forum have demanded that the position House of Representatives speaker, other principal officers and leadership of key committees be conceded to female lawmakers in the 10th Assembly.

The forum made the demand at a press conference addressed by its president, Ebere Ifendu in Abuja where it said apart from presiding officers in the House that has more ranking female members, women should be given the chance to chair sensitive committees like appropriation.

Ifendu said the forum was already consulting with ranking members of the House across the geopolitical zones such as Miriam Onuoha (APC, Imo), Beni Lar (PDP, Plateau), Khadija Bukar Abba (APC, Yobe), Blessing Onuh (APC, Benue) Burma Goodhead (PDP, Rivers) and Wunmi Onanuga (APC, Ogun) rally support for a female presiding officer.

She called on political parties to uphold the provisions of the national gender policy as approved by the Federal Executive Council and adopt gender inclusivity as their mandate in the 10th National Assembly.

The forum president also demanded that: “political parties with higher representation in the Parliament (APC, PDP and LP), ensure that they mainstream gender as a major requirement in getting principal officers elected.

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“Political parties be primarily gender inclusive and ensure that whatever zoning ratio is adopted in the party concerning the principal offices, should favor the female members elect of the 10th National Assembly.

“Political parties give full support to female members elect from their parties that will be contesting for principal office in the Legislative arm of government.

“Male members elect in the 10th assembly give full support to their female colleagues seeking to run for principal office. Female members are given chairmanship of key committees.”

Ifendu said the forum interested in the April 15 supplementary elections as they look to adding more women to the numbers of lawmakers in the National Assembly.

“As preparations are being made to inaugurate the 10th National Assembly, we call on political parties with elected members in the parliament, to uphold the provisions of the National gender policy and be intentionally gender inclusive, mainstreaming and considering gender as a necessary factor when zoning Principal offices in the National Assembly.

“We are particularly interested in the House of Representatives election for principal office where we have female members as some of the high-ranking officers in the house with some returning for the 4th time.

“It will therefore be completely disregarding to Nigerian women if, with the caliber and ranking of female parliamentarians in the House of Representatives, no female member ranks among the principal officers of the House of Representatives in the 10th National Assembly,” she added.