Tom Garba
President Muhammadu Buhari has been called upon to reflect women affirmative action in its next rounds of appointment, a female legislative leader Hon. Justina Obadiah Nkom has said.
Mrs Nkom spoke to universalreporters247.com, against the backdrop of plans by the presidency, to address and balance the lopsidedness which greeted recent appointment made by the Buhari Presidency and reports that the State Security Service may have started the screening of some political appointees.
Mrs Nkom who spoke in Yola while stressing the need for the next round of appointment being planned by President Muhammadu Buhari, to bring more women on board his administration, noted that doing so will, stimulate more women participation in politics.
The member, who is the minority leader in Adamawa House of Assembly and representing Lamurde Constituency, under the social Democratic Party, SDP, banner also lamented women participation in politics which she said had regressed because of their poor financial capacities, adding that the situation in the North East was worst, because of the insurgency.
She regretted that the appointment of fewer women into political offices under the current dispensation, was likely to reverse the gains of the 35% women affirmative action experienced under the last administration, which she said witnessed increased women participation in the political space.
She maintained that even though, she would not like to apportion any blame on President Muhammadu Buhari, yet, since the administration, has promised to do something to redress the imbalance and lopsidedness observed in its recent appointment but she however said, through gender affirmative action, the administration can ensure more women’s active involvement.
She regretted that women participation in the last elections, especially in the North East, ravaged by insurgency had regressed significantly when compared to their involvement in the 2011 elections.
“Women did not participate much in the last election due to the crisis. You wouldn’t blame the government much because maybe they didn’t get the kind of women they wanted to balance the 35% affirmative action undertaken by the last administration.
But notwithstanding giving more women appointment in the next round of appointment will allow women to be actively involved,” she said.
She equally highlighted that the greatest impediment at the moment to women participation in politics was that posed by finance.
According to her, because of the pecuniary nature of our politics, “if even if they say to you, go we will vote for you. If you don’t have that financial support, it will bring you down. Definitely, you will not succeed,” she said. And added that, with more women now knowing their rights all they needed to do to be active players in politics, was to overcome the financial hurdles and also ensure that they have their integrity intact.
