Wike berates NASS for rejection of gender bill

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has berated the All Progressives Congress (APC) controlled National Assembly Assembly for rejecting five gender bills recently presented to the assembly.

He described the action as a major setback to Nigeria’s democratic advancement blaming it on President Muhammadu Buhari’s lack of interest in allowing for affirmative action for women in political administration in the country.

The Governor came up with the position on Friday at the inauguration of Ahoada -Odiemerenyi -Ihugbogo -Odieke Road project in Ahoada-East Local Government Area.

He wondered the kind of humanity that the leadership of APC and its members have to deny women desirable roles in politics noting that women, including the wife of the President and Vice President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari and Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo, had approached, lobbied and secured the promise of NASS members for affirmative action for them.

Wike stated that it was rather baffling that the lawmakers voted to frustrate the bill requesting such legislative rights.

“Look at what happened in the National Assembly. I watched it and I laughed when I saw our wives, and women were disgraced. It has never happened anywhere. I saw wives of the president and vice president go to plenary session of the National Assembly to lobby them, to please help them.

“They (National Assembly) promised them. The party (APC) promised them. The same party that promised them failed them,” he lamented.

Wike stated that such thing would not be allowed to happen in progressive societies that have continued to harness the potentials of women in the advancement of their countries.

He blamed the rejection of the bills on President Muhammadu Buhari’s lack of interest in allowing for affirmative action for women in political administration in the country.

Wike said; “APC controls the National Assembly. If Mr. President was in support of this, there is no way they will disgrace women in the National Assembly. Such shameful thing.”

He explained that the situation in Rivers State was different because women are an integral part of the process of political administration of the state.

He added that there are 23 female vice chairmen of local governments in Rivers State, and at least five female councilors in each local government area adding that it was as a result of deliberate policy implemented by the Peoples Democratic Party leadership in the state.

He went on; “Look, in this state, as a matter of policy, we said we are going to do this and we agreed that if women cannot be chairmen of councils, they cannot be refused the position of vice-chairmen.

“Today, in this state, all 23 vice chairmen are women. Today, in this State, we said we must have five women as councilors in each local government. It is a matter of policy and it is leadership.”

Speaking further Wike said he has used politics and governance to better the socioeconomic conditions of communities and made the people happy.

He asserted that sustaining national development and providing a thriving economy for Nigerians is not difficult to attain across the country saying that lack of passion in leadership to improve the life of the people, and tendency of the APC to inflict pains on Nigerians, inadvertently, created the impression that governance is difficult.

The Governor that what was important to him in governance was to solve societal problem and to see to it that the people were happy because of the improved social services that include development projects, delivered to them.

“There is nothing difficult in Nigeria. It is just because they want to punish the people. When people talk about Nigeria is lacking this, Nigeria is lacking that, I say it is because of the leadership.

“There is no passion for this country. They (APC) are not committed to the development of this country,” Wike stated.

Performing the inauguration of the 10.2km long road Ahoada -Odiemerenyi-Ihugbogo-Odieke Road project, former Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Ahmed Makarfi said Rivers State has a truly difficult terrain, and it takes courage and love to invest in such development endeavour to better life of rural dwellers.

He opined that the PDP must take over power at the national level so that Nigerians will enjoy passionate leadership that is committed to their welfare.

Senator Makarfi, however, sued for greater unity in the PDP and undivided focus towards return to power at the national level to reverse the failure of the APC.

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