◾As SIDEC pays advocacy visit to Owerri Central Mosque
From Eze Adiuku, Owerri
The head of Muslims in Imo State, Barr Suleiman Yusuf Njoku, has lent his support to the proposed Special Seats Bill, which is aimed at increasing and enhancing women representation in Nigeria.
The Muslim leader made his position known during an advocacy visit to the Central Mosque in Owerri, Imo State by a team from Social and Integral Development Centre (SIDEC) on Friday.
The advocacy visit by SIDEC is under Project IMPACT – Inclusive Mobilization for Participation, Advocacy, and Civic Transformation.
SIDEC is implementing the project in collaboration with the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, with funding support from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development (FCDO).
The Chief Imam, Barr Suleiman Yusuf Njoku, emphasized that women should be given priority because they are the ones that rock the cradle and take care of children.
Barr Njoku who is also the Legal Officer Interfaith Forum Nigeria, promised to advocate and amplify the message of SIDEC in support of the proposed Special Seats Bill to those responsible to do the right thing.
In his contribution, President of Muslim Corpers Association of Nigeria (MCAN) in Imo State, Toyeeb Adeogun, while supporting the clamour for greater women representation, advised them to float an all women political party.
This he said will enable women to have the opportunity to seek any political position of their choice, adding that they should start from somewhere with the hope that their efforts will become fruitful.
Earlier in her presentation, the Executive Director, Social Integral Development Centre (SIDEC), Ugochi Agalaba -Ehiahuruike decried the insignificant number of women representatives at the National Assembly and the various States’ Houses of Assembly.
She lamented that there are only four, sixteen and fifty five females representatives in the Senate, House of Representatives and the Houses of Assembly respectively across the country.
The proposed Special Seats Bill, according to SIDEC Executive Director is to have additional 37 Senate seats for women (1 per state + FCT), 37 House of Representatives seats for women (1 per state + FCT) and 3 State House of Assembly seats for women per state.
She further clarified that apart from the reserved seats, women are free to contest other offices with their male counterparts.
Agalaba -Ehiahuruike said the clamour is to promote women’s representation in governance and promotes gender equality and inclusivity, adding that it has been implemented in some African nations like Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda.
She appealed to the Chief Imam to reach national assembly members from the state as well as the lawmakers in Imo to support the proposed Bill.
The Bill, she said, will need two-thirds majority in House of Representatives and Senate and two-third majority in at least 24 State Houses of Assembly to be passed. That means that 240 out of 360 members of House of Assembly across the states to vote ‘Yes’ to the Bill.
