Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, is still bitter
about the outcome of the bill seeking extra legislative seats for women and
affirmative action, which failed to sail through on the floor of the National
Assembly on Tuesday.
Expressing her displeasure, Tallen described some of the
legislators who voted against the bill as engaging in ‘show of shame’,
threatening that Nigerian women may have to mobilise and strategise on how to
get their pound of flesh during the 2023 general elections.
She bemoaned the fate of the bill while addressing State
House Correspondents, shortly after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting
presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
According to Tallen, such men need the prayer of Nigerians.
Recall that prior to the constitution review, Tallen had led
the wife of the President, Aisha Buhari to the Senate chambers as a subtle way
of lobbying the legislators but while the clause-by-clause consideration of the
constitutional amendment at both chambers of the National Assembly went on
Tuesday, it failed to garner the necessary votes to support the course.
The male dominated NASS voted against the bill to create
special seats for women in the National and State Assemblies.
Her words, “It clearly shows that the men that were against
the bill don’t have any respect for women, it’s clear. But I am not
generalizing, not all the men in the National Assembly. We have the figures. 72
men in the House of Representatives voted in support of the bill. So, I’m not
generalizing. We are saying that, for those that don’t believe in it, we will
continue to intensify advocacy for them to believe in gender equality, and the
role that women can play when they are on the decision table to make Nigeria
better.
“I want to assure you that all hope is not lost. I have
reassured Nigerian women that we should not be daunted, we should remain
resilient. And we have already put in place strategies. Last night we all met
the key civil society organizations and other women activists.
“We are strategizing with the female members in both Houses
of the National Assembly. And I want to assure you, that Nigeria women will not
give up, we’ll keep pushing until we achieve affirmative action”.
It was also reported that the wife of the Vice President,
Dolapo Osinbajo, was present at the review sessions when the bill was quashed
by both chambers of the National Assembly.
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