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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Women groups that have continued to Occupy National Assembly to protest the March 1st rejection of the gender bills in the ongoing amendments to the 1999 Constitution by members of the National Assembly, have announced that they will suspend the protest for two weeks in response to the plea by the lawmakers.
They made the decision on day 10 of their protest Tuesday, when they succeeded in taking their actions a step further by entering the National Assembly premises to physically register their grievances and intensify their demands.
Recall last week, Deputy Chief Whip in the House of Representatives, Hon Nkiruka Onyejeocha, had appealed to women groups that have continued to occupy National Assembly gate to rescind their decision, restrategise and allow the business of legislature to go on.
But Co-founder Womanifesto, Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, had promptly told her to parish the thought, declaring “no retreat no surrender.”
But the leader of the House, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, who addressed the women, promised that the Senate will meet in seven legislative working days to reconsider the gender bills.
He said the delegation was mandate by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, to represent the leadership of the National Assembly to assure of their commitment that they will promptly look at the demands of the women submitted.
“I want to say to you that the commitment of the leadership of the House, and by extension, the entire membership of the house, and that of the Senate will continue to identify with what Nigerian women want. “Democracy is about people. Democracy is also about number. I don’t think any democracy world over can play with the number of women we have in Nigeria.
“You have contributed severally. You have also supported severally at different elections. Now that it has come to your time, it is a payback time. And I want to assure you that all of our members, individually and collectively, and the National Assembly as an institution will definitely respond to the yearnings and aspirations of the Nigerian woman in this regard.
“The House of Representatives under the leadership of the speaker whom you know to be a very gender friendly speaker, a gender friendly leader, someone who can go extra mile in defense and protection of the interests of the women to which you have all attested to.
“I remember, clearly on the day we were voting, you have seen clearly the role he played to be able and be sure that he protects the interests and aspirations of Nigerian women in several steps. It was only by his intervention that even when our online system failed, the speaker now went to manual voting. And we voted by voice voting on the last clause, which gave the woman an opening and that opening is just like a starting point.
“When we’re working on matters like this, especially things to do with legislation. Legislation is not like a bakery house where you can be able to mold so many bread or so many blocks in block making factory. We have a process and it’s not something that you can do all at the same time.
“I want to give you the commitment of the speaker, the commitment of the leadership and the entire members of the House of Representatives and National Assembly, that this other issues that you have submitted for us to review, we have already taken position, three of those bills were rescinded by the House of Representatives, I believe you all know that. And when a process is rescinded, it means we will take it all over again.
“It is on this note that I would like to on behalf of the speaker, and the entire membership of the House of Representatives, to say that we still stand by you. We have rescinded our last voting, which means we will take it again. Therefore, logically, I will expect that Nigeria women should give us this benefit of doubt, not even benefit of doubt this benefit of being committed leaders to really deliver what you expect from us. We have rescinded those positions to look at them again to see how we can accommodate Nigerian women so that they can participate effectively in the management and the discharge of our democratic process in the country that we all call our own.
“Logically, you will expect that when we have something of this nature, we need to have a free in and outflow of members. By the actions you are doing here, of course, you have the right with due respect, you have the right to protest, you have the right to come and say your position, you have the right to come and lobby. But by the action you are doing here is like some of our members cannot even have access to go in and do this job you want us to do. It is on this note that on behalf of the leadership of the House, that I am giving you our words, once again, that while we expect you to leave the street, we will also give you a commitment that we will definitely look at these three things as promptly as possible.
“Democracy is for everyone, democracy is not about discrimination. We will not be seen to be part of those who discriminate either on the basis of gender, tribe, religion, or any other thing. We are all one. And we must be allowed equal opportunities to participate and operate in the governance of this great country, Nigeria.”
Akiyode-Afolabi, while fielding questions from reporters said: “The women this morning, were able to gain entrance into the National Assembly. And we’re actually moving into the Senate’s building, when the police stopped the movement. And we made them to know that today, there is no option, we need to speak with the leadership of the National Assembly, we have been here for 10 days.
“So, the leadership of National Assembly sent messages to us that they would come and meet with us at their own ground. So, they came in to make promises that they would be able to resolve this issue within seven Legislative days and that all the gender bills put together by women, they will be able to address it. They also committed to ensuring that they will speak to all the other members and also reach out to the Senate in this regard. They reconfirmed the fact that they have recommitted the four bills and that they would ensure that is passed, you know by the National Assembly.
“So, we are stopping the occupation for that reason. We would reconvene after the seven legislative days that they have given to us to start again. So in brief that is what we were able to achieve. So we are going to have a world press conference tomorrow to explain for the verification of the source.”
Meanwhile, the women have commended the Wife of the Governor of Imo State, Chioma Uzodimma for delivering food and drinks to the protesting women.
Real Woman Foundation, founded by Pastor (Mrs) Nike Adeyemi has also supported the women as they demand for equity.
