Pauline Tallen, Minister of Women Affairs, has expressed her displeasure with the outcome of the bill seeking extra legislative seats for women and affirmative action, which failed to sail through on the floor of the National Assembly on Tuesday.
Tallen described some of the legislators who voted against the bill as engaging in ‘show of shame’.
While addressing State House Correspondents, shortly after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, the minister threatened that Nigerian women may have to mobilise and strategise on how to get their pound of flesh during the 2023 general elections.
According to Tallen: “It clearly shows that the men that were against the bill don’t have any respect for women, it’s clear. But I am not generalizing, not all the men in the National Assembly. We have the figures. 72 men in the House of Representatives voted in support of the bill. So, I’m not generalizing. We are saying that, for those that don’t believe in it, we will continue to intensify advocacy for them to believe in gender equality, and the role that women can play when they are on the decision table to make Nigeria better.
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“I want to assure you that all hope is not lost. I have reassured Nigerian women that we should not be daunted, we should remain resilient. And we have already put in place strategies. Last night we all met the key civil society organizations and other women activists.
“We are strategizing with the female members in both Houses of the National Assembly. And I want to assure you, that Nigeria women will not give up, we’ll keep pushing until we achieve affirmative action”.
