The first ladies, including those of Ekiti, Edo and Akwa Ibom states, made this known while addressing protesters at the gate of the National Assembly in Abuja during the celebration of 2022 International Women Day, yesterday.
In her remarks, the First Lady of Ekiti State, Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, said: “We are here to stand in solidarity with all Nigerian women. Politics belongs to all of us, this country belongs to all of us. 50 per cent of citizens in this country are women. We, therefore, demand that our rights be recognised, our rights to live as full citizens, our rights not to die at childbirth, our rights to take leadership positions, our rights not to leave in poverty.
In her address, the First Lady of Akwa Ibom State, Martha Udom Emmanuel, said: “With my colleagues and all the women in Nigeria, we join our voice to say no bad governance. All we are asking for is to give us 35 per cent of party leadership. We are not asking for much.
“We are asking the men that are meant to sign the bill to do it. We are not second class citizens; we are first-class citizens as the men are.”
“ We have waited for them under rain and sun for them to recommit the bill and together as women we must get what we are here for.’’
In her remarks, Chief Executive Officer of the Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, said: “ Anybody that tells you women cannot rule, it’s a lie. What are they afraid of, what is there to lose, as long as we don’t have 35% of women in party leadership Nigeria cannot be where it is supposed to be, look at the women they are beautiful, they are energetic.
“ If we don’t appeal to them it will become worst in the national assembly and even house of representative, if we don’t take a step they will be no r9oom for women in 2023, so we have to stand up to them, appeal to them to pass the bills we have brought to them.
“They have just started and they have not seen anything yet, they need to accept that women are important and we are already making our input into the national process, this is not about women becoming men.
“We are talking about development of Nigeria, men need to agree that women can play a role in national development, we are talking about security, development, employment when women get there it will be better, we are up to 50% percent of the population of this county, we want to tell the national assembly that if they leave us under the sun we will wait till they ready to recommit the bill.’’