Ahead of the 2019 general election, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is facing his biggest political challenge in three years as opposition to his position gathers momentum amongst women Parliamentarians.
A delegation of the Conference of Nigerian Female Parliamentarians (CONFEPA), led by its President, Hon. Elizabeth Uyinmwen Ativie, Friday, asked the president to cede the vice-president’s position to women.
“Currently, many African and European Nations are daily finding ways to include more women in governance. Some have elected or appointed women as Heads of States, Prime Ministers, Heads of Foreign Ministries and other key positions of decision making.
“It will not be out of place Your Excellency for women to be given such opportunities in our dear nation. Even God created them male and female.”
“Your Excellency, all over the world, the issue of twinning is being advocated.
She added that the role of women in national development cannot be over-emphasised.
“Women have the ability to direct and coordinate the home to benefit all members of the family and this brings stability, peace and progress. This same ability no doubt can be used by women to bring about national development.
“There is no gainsaying the fact that even few women who have been given opportunity, has done extremely well in all fields of human endeavours.
“Politically, women account for over 50 percent of voters in any election. They are very loyal politicians and do not cross-carpet. They wait patiently to cast their votes under the rain and even in the scorching sun.”
“Your Excellency, kindly ensure that the few women presently elected or appointed are retained, promoted to the next level and the number of female representation increased in the Federal, States and Local Government Levels.”
Buhari who on April 9th declared he was seeking re-election, is yet to officially confirmed whether he will run with his deputy.
Responding to the demand of the group for a female vice president of the country, Buhari jocularly said: “It is a pity the VP is not here, but I believe the Secretary to the Government of the Federation will brief him that his position is threatened.”
He added, “It is only the vice president who is threatened. And if we win the next election, he may lose his election.”
Buhari who expressed his appreciation to the women for the support they have given to him in the four times he ran for president, said he was as powerful as they think.
He recalled how pregnant women queued to vote for him, asking them to extend the same support since he has declared for second term.
On their request that he should make a pronouncement that out of every three Senatorial seats in the state, one slot should be ceded to a woman and out of every nine slots in the House of Representatives, at least three should be given to women, the President responded, “as powerful as you think.”
Buhari said he lacked the powers to make such pronouncement and that the request could only be made by a military head of state, but, he had already dropped the uniform for “agbada”.
He said, “I am not all that powerful that when I talk it becomes a decree. As I said it is only the Vice President that is threatened,” he said.
Buhari allayed the fears of the women that the men were already regrouping to suppress and marginalize them in the forthcoming elections, saying that there was no such plot.
He further told the lawmakers that they were fairly treated, adding that if there was a plot against them many of them would have not been elected.
Buhari asked the delegation to disabuse the minds of other female politicians from their belief that men are aggressive, adding that the men were being fair to them by allowing them to participate in politics.
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