By Tom Garba, Yola – President Muhammadu Buhari has been called upon to ensure gender balancing in his next rounds of appointment in order to give Nigerian women a sense of belonging.
Minority Leader of Adamawa State House of Assembly, Hon. Justina Obadiah Nkom, made the call on Sunday in Yola, Adamawa state capital.
Mrs Nkom who spoke to News Investigators, against the backdrop of plans by the presidency to address the imbalance in his recent appointment urged the president to ensure fair gender representation in the next appointment.
There are indications that the State Security Service may have started the screening of some political appointees to be release before the end of the month.
Mrs Nkom stressed the need for the next round of appointment being planned by President Muhammadu Buhari, to bring more women on board his administration, noting that doing so will, stimulate more women participation in politics.
The member 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 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 said that women participation in the last elections, especially in the North East, ravaged by insurgency decreased 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.
Adding that, with more women now knowing their rights all they needed to do to be active players in politics, wa to overcome the financial hurdles and also ensure that they have their integrity intact.
