Women groups under the auspices of WOMANIFESTO have commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his assent to the 2022 Electoral Bill, calling on political parties ”to ensure strict adherence to affirmative action as contained in the newly signed legal framework in choosing next set of leaders to various political offices come 2023.”
A statement by the co-founder, Womanifesto, Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, noted that the new Act together with the 1999 Constitution (as amended) will constitute the principal law to govern the conduct of future elections, including the 2023 general elections.
The statement added that the new Electoral Act 2022 will improve election processes particularly, with women affirmative action and efforts to engender clarity and transparency.
”President Buhari has shown commitment to democracy as the assent to the Bill came at the right time with the 2023 general elections underway. We believe that by this act of the President, the Electoral Act 2022 holds a lot of potential for improving the election processes particularly, with women’s affirmative action and efforts to engender clarity and transparency,” the statement said.
Akiyode-Afolabi expressed hope that the new Electoral Act will enable a free, fair and credible elections, noting that the old electoral law had marginalised and limited chances of women participation in the country’s political process.
”’Though the new Electoral Act seems to bring us closer to having free, fair, and inclusive elections in which people’s vote count, it behooves us as a people to ensure that the rightful place of women is guaranteed in the polity where women will have their say.
”We however, need to remind stakeholders, particularly political parties, to ensure strict adherence to women affirmative action as contained in the newly signed legal framework in choosing the next set of leaders to various political offices come 2023,” she stressed.
”We call on women and concerned stakeholders to make judicious use of key achievements of constitutional amendments favouring women; such as adoption of not less than thirty-five percent of the members of the executive committee at all levels shall be women;
allotted seats for women in parliament at all levels passed which tends to create additional 111 seats in National Assembly alone plus such opportunity at the state constituent assemblies;
”Granting of indigeneity rights to a woman who is married to an indigene of a State different from her State of origin, affirmation of citizenship rights to spouses of women from Nigeria under Section 26 (2) (a); and Inclusion of at least ten percent affirmative action in favour of women in Ministerial appointments,” she added.
She therefore, urged all stakeholders to support INEC to achieve its regulatory role as political parties are encouraged to be more forthright and vigorous in spear-heading the campaign for women affirmative action as contained in the Electoral Act 2022 and 1999 constitution (as amended).
Wife of the Vice President Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo, while addressing the women during a peaceful walk to the National Assembly, said women needed equality and freedom to thrive in the country.
