Vote out Legislators who voted against gender bills, says Betsy Obaseki

From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin

Wife of the Edo State governor, Betsy Obaseki, has called on Nigeria women to vote out all legislators that voted against the gender bills presented to the National Assembly.

She made the call when she joined other Nigerian Governors Wives Forum (NGWF) to protest at the Gate of the National Assembly in Abuja.

Addressing the protesters, Obaseki who quoted the popular slogan “you neglect a woman you lose election” said “this is the message I have come to say here to all Nigerian men, especially our politicians who are seated in political positions and those aspiring to either return or to join them in governments and in politics”.

Her Excellency added that “if you do proper analysis of a proper election process, you will find out that women are the ones who vote the most and when we vote, we stay there and protect our votes”.

She called on “all Nigerian women, market women, professional women, women in government and women in politics”, saying “let us unite together and form a strong front and tell the men that we are the ones who put them in this position and they must listen to us and give us what we want else we vote them out”.

On her part, the First Lady of Akwa Ibom State, Martha Udom-Emmanuel said “we are not asking for too much, we are asking the men that have refused to sign the bill to consent to 35% affirmative action, please give us our rights. We are not second-class citizens, we are as important as the men are”.

Some female parliamentarians added their voice to the call saying the rights of women are issues of human rights.

The Chairman Senate Committee on Women Affairs, Senator Betty Apiafi said “we constitute 50% of the nation. How can you allow 50% of your man power waste? Who does that?”

Former member of the House of Representatives and Chairman of the Nigeria Diaspora Commission Honourable Abike Dabiri said “I was in this place for 25 years. When I was here we were 27 women, today the women parliamentarians are less than that number, the same thing with the Senate. So the question is, who is afraid of the Nigerian woman?

One of the leaders of the protest, Dr Abiola Afolabi said they will continue their advocacy until they achieve their aim insisting that “our demand is that we want the Senate President and the Right Honourable Speaker leading the House of Representatives must have a dialogue with the leadership of the women’s movement.