… releases 7-point agenda
… appeals to male aspirants to step down
A female member of House of Representatives, Mariam Onuoha has formally declared her intention for contest for the speaker of the green chamber in the forthcoming 10th Assembly.
Onuoha who is representing Mbano/Onuimo/Okigwe federal constituency of Imo state made the declaration at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday.
The chairman House Committee on
Disability said she was in the race for the speakership of the 10th Assembly to bring fresh ideas and pragmatic solutions to the harrowing current challenges of national cohesion.
She promised to proffer a new legislative agenda for addressing the current debilitating issues of dwindling economy, mass poverty; promoting bills for massive industrialization of the economy to create more jobs, inclusivity and unity of the Nigerian state if elected speaker.
“I believe that Nigeria is at the threshold of history. I believe that the incoming Government has heard loud and clear, the current hues, cries and aspirations of the Nigerian youths.
“As such, I have no modicum of doubt that my speakership of the 10th Assembly, will very much, help the incoming Government to foster a government that empowers the people, includes the people (youths & women of every region) and works 100% for the people to deliver the promises that my fellow Nigerians have long yearned for through the instrumentality of the house of representatives,” Onuoha said.
The speakership aspirant also released a 7-point agenda to ensure
digitization of activities of Rules and Business Committee of the House to improve effective record management without conflicts.
The agenda seeks to:”Introduce periodic strategic Executive-Legislature dialogue for effective intervention by National Assembly; create opportunity for National Assembly-Stakeholders engagement to provide access for public participation in the law-making process and improve public perception of the legislature.
“Improve legislative policy action to promote the interest of Women and vulnerable groups; facilitate periodic capacity development programs for leadership of Committees to address common and emerging issues; promote unity and cohesion among members across party lines and geo-political divide.”
Onuoha who is the only female aspirant for the office of the speaker also called on all her male co-contestants to step down for her as a mark of honour for the women to contributed greatly to their electoral victory.
“In almost about 90 positions of this country, the men have dominated it. Ceding this one position to me will be a way of proving that we are running an inclusive government.
“I use this opportunity to call on my co-contestants -my male contestants to consider the love and the care Nigerian voters have shown to them, and as a matter of honour, step down to support this woman,” said.
Nine out of the 10 contenders for speakership of the House are women. They include, the Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Idris-Wase; Yusuf Gagdi (APC, Plateau), Benjamin Kalu (APC, Abia); Aminu Jaji (APC, Zamfara); Makki Yalleman (APC-Jigawa), Tajudeen Abass (Kaduna); Sada Soli (APC, Katsina), Muktar Betara (APC, Borno), Abdulraheem Olawuyi (APC, Kwara).
The Imo lawmaker said the emergency of the dwindling number of women in parliament calls for a deliberate action that will bridge the gender gap and entrust the leadership of the National Assembly in the hands of a woman of competence and experience.
“I honorably call for my fellow contestants to support me, a woman with competence, integrity, vision driven mission and a true display of diversity as well as inclusive leadership centered on equity.
“No doubt our President-Elect His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a he-for-she who has always empowered women in all spheres of life, having picked a woman as his running mate as the governor of Lagos state and also supported his amiable wife to become a senator in the parliament in line with the goals of the UN’S 35% affirmative action for women.
“To this effect, my election as the speaker House of Representatives will therefore afford Nigeria the rare opportunity of killing the two ubiquitous birds of gender balancing and youth inclusiveness in its political/leadership landscape, with one stone.
“Truthfully, I Princess Miriam amply represents the twin engine essence of Nigeria’s youth and female status quo whom the circumstances of our political exigencies have made an endangered and vulnerable specie.
“Again the issues of regional balancing in the Nation’s leadership equation is also another veritable national challenge that my election to the speakership of the House of Representatives will address and resolve simultaneously in the interest of national unity, peace and inclusion,” she added.