NASS’ rejection of affirmation bill shocking ―Anenih

FORMER Minister of Women Affairs, Iyom Josephine Anenih, has expressed shock over the rejection of the Affirmative Action Bill by the National Assembly in the ongoing constitutional amendment vote.

Speaking to the Tribune Online in Abuja on Thursday, she said the legislators were selfish.

The former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Woman Leader stated: “It is shocking. It is a shame that in 2017 the Nigerian National Assembly can seat and say they will not pass the affirmative action.  After how many years of advocacy, how many years of sensitizing them?

“I don’t know what to call them because these people are the same people that will go to all the international conferences all over the world, using our hard earned money and agreed and signed that there is no nation that can do anything without harnessing all the resources they have.

“The resources that we have in this country is not just the men. The women are an invaluable resource and their contributions cannot be matched

“Look at where we are in this country, it is because of the men. It is because of their ineptitude because they don’t know what they are doing and we are asking that we want to come on board to partner with them to improve the wellbeing of our people and they are still refusing.

“It is borne out of sheer selfishness. They are just thinking of themselves.”

On whether the women would now consider mobilizing against those to vote against the bill, she remarked: “Were they voted in? That’s the question we will start asking now. Because if they were really voted in by the people, they will do what the people want. But is it really the people that voted them there?

“If it is the people that put them there, they should respect the people, they should do the will of the people.

“The people say they want their women to partner with men to rule this county. That’s what the people want.”