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Affirmative action for women, a necessary corrective measure – Speaker Abbas
…as Reps meet state speakers on gender-based violence, constitution amendment bills
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, has stated that affirmative action for women is not a privilege and undemocratic, but a corrective measure that must be taken to ensure fairness and gender balance in the polity.
The Speaker said it has become necessary to mainstream women’s and gender issues in the constitution, statutes, policies, and budgetary processes of Nigeria.
The Speaker made this known in his keynote address at a session with Speakers of State Houses of Assembly to Commemorate the Conclusion of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) held at the National Assembly on Monday.
Speaker Abbas noted that the session was to commemorate the conclusion of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV), a campaign that began on November 25, with the People’s House taking a prominent role. He recalled how he led an advocacy walk from the National Assembly to the Force Headquarters to submit a petition to the Inspector General of Police.
“This action signified our resolve to combat violence against Nigerian women and to reinforce our collective commitment to creating a safer and more equitable society,” he added.
The Speaker noted that the 16 days had served as a rallying point, uniting diverse stakeholders in a shared mission to protect and empower women and girls across Nigeria.
He also noted that the National Assembly has long been at the forefront of the fight against GBV and the advocacy for greater women’s representation.
He said since 1999, the parliament has championed transformative legislative reforms, including the enactment of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act; the Child’s Rights Act, and the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act.
The Speaker further noted that the 10th House has amplified these efforts through its Legislative Agenda, which prioritises constitutional reforms to promote women’s political participation and representation.
Speaker Abbas said the agenda reflects the parliament’s recognition of the indispensable role women play in governance and the broader societal fabric.
“Women are the cornerstone of our families and communities, yet their political representation remains unacceptably low. This imbalance must change—not for improved statistics but for the transformative value women bring to governance, leadership, and policymaking,” he said.
While emphasising that the importance of eradicating GBV and promoting women’s representation cannot be overstated, he stated that a society that protects its women and leverages their potential is one that secures its future.
“Women are the glue that holds our families and communities together. Despite this, systemic barriers, including cultural norms, economic inequality, and inadequate legal protections, have hindered their full participation in political and public life,” he said.
The Speaker pointed out that the 10th Assembly has taken proactive steps to address these barriers.
“Recognising past pitfalls, we have commenced the constitutional amendment process early to allow for extensive consultation and consensus-building,” he said, stressing that the House Committee on Constitution Amendment has embarked on robust sensitisation and advocacy efforts, engaging stakeholders to build support for provisions that will constitutionalise greater women’s representation.
Speaker Abbas stated: “These efforts go beyond tokenism. Affirmative action for women is not undemocratic; it is a necessary corrective measure to address historical inequities and unlock our nation’s full potential. Many African countries, such as Rwanda and South Africa, have successfully enshrined affirmative action in their constitutions.”
The Speaker said state Houses of Assembly are pivotal to achieving meaningful constitutional reforms, adding that the active participation and support of state speakers are crucial in ensuring that gender-focused amendments and legislation are adopted at the sub-national level.
Prominent activist, Aisha Yesufu, has expressed concern over the ongoing teachers’ strike in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), calling on the minister, Nyesom Wike, to urgently intervene and resolve the crisis.
In a statement on Monday, Yesufu lamented the prolonged closure of public primary schools across the FCT, noting that the situation continues to disrupt the education of thousands of children.
She stressed that education remains a fundamental right and should not be treated with negligence, urging authorities to prioritise the welfare of both teachers and students.
“The continuous strike by teachers in the FCT is unacceptable. Our children cannot keep paying the price for unresolved issues,” she said.
The activist appealed directly to Wike to take decisive steps towards addressing the grievances of the striking teachers, including issues surrounding unpaid salaries and poor working conditions.
According to her, swift intervention by the FCT administration would not only restore academic activities but also rebuild confidence in the public education system.
The strike, which has lingered for weeks, has left many pupils at home, raising concerns among parents over the long term impact on learning.
Malam Nasir El-Rufai, a former governor of Kaduna, has alerted the public to what he called “certain malicious orchestrations” directed against him.
El-Rufai, in a statement signed and released on Sunday by Muyiwa Adekeye, his Media Adviser, said the unwarranted effort to arrest him upon his arrival at Abuja Airport from Cairo on 12 February 2026 served as a clear signal of more troubling developments to follow.
The evident objective of the current scheme, according to the statement, is to secure his indefinite detention through reprehensible tactics, stressing that such conduct is unacceptable, particularly toward a citizen who has made substantial contributions to our country.
He, however, said that the rule of law must never be perverted into a tool of oppression and legal processes should serve the ends of justice, not be employed to deny a citizen his fundamental right to liberty while he stands trial.
The statement stressed that Malam El-Rufai should be accorded full due process guaranteed by law to every citizen, and the persistent disregard for his rights must cease immediately.
The statement recalled that since 16 February 2026, when Malam El-Rufai honoured an invitation from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), he was detained, then transferred to the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on the night of 18 February.
It said the former governor remains in detention and has been arraigned in two separate high courts.
The statement, however, picked holes in a report headlined “El-Rufai’s trial: Gunmen invade principal witness home” published by a national newspaper, not Nigerian Tribune, on 18 April 2026.
It quoted the article as stating that a witness in the criminal proceedings at the Kaduna State High Court had reported to the police that armed individuals had invaded his residence.
The statement added that the paper included innuendos suggestive of a plot to frame Malam Nasir El-Rufai as the witness linked the incident to his role as a witness in the corruption charges against El-Rufai, specifically one of the nine counts involving the alleged unlawful revocation and reallocation of land.
The article, the statement added, further quoted the witness as alleging that the invasion might be part of an effort to silence him, drawing parallels with the controversial disappearance of Kaduna-based activist Abubakar Idris Dadiyata.
The statement said that while it is the civic duty of every citizen to report crimes to the authorities, it is an entirely different matter to publish false imputations against others.
It said any objective reader would recognise the clear intent behind these statements: to smear Malam Nasir El-Rufai’s reputation, jeopardise his pending bail application at the Kaduna State High Court, and implicate him in serious capital offences.
Part of the statement read, “Malam Nasir El-Rufai is an upstanding and law-abiding citizen who has no connection whatsoever to the incidents described in the publication. Therefore, he has already instructed his legal team to initiate defamation proceedings in this matter.
“Since 2023, Malam El-Rufai has been subjected to an appalling and sustained campaign of innuendos and vilification.
This is a man with a distinguished record of public service. Many will recall his sterling service to the cause of national unity through his principled opposition to opportunism, alongside other senior leaders, during the events leading to the 2022 primaries of the ruling party and thereafter.“
The Movement for Credible Elections (MCE) has called on the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, to resign immediately over allegations of partisanship, warning that he no longer commands the credibility required to oversee the 2027 general elections.
The group, which includes prominent figures such as Dr Usman Bugaje, Barrister Femi Falana (SAN), Dr Oby Ezekwesili, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, Professor Pat Utomi, Hadjia Dr Bilikisu Magoro and Ambassador Nkoyo Toyo, among others, said the integrity of the electoral body must not be compromised.
In a statement issued on Sunday by its Media Coordinator, Comrade James Ezema, the MCE urged Professor Amupitan to step aside to allow for an independent and transparent investigation into the allegations against him.
The group also called on the Federal Government to constitute an impartial panel comprising judicial officers, digital forensic experts and civil society representatives to ascertain the truth, while demanding an end to any form of intimidation or harassment of citizens raising concerns.
“The integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process is at stake,” the statement said. “At this critical juncture in the nation’s democratic evolution, the leadership of INEC must be beyond reproach.”
The MCE said recent developments, including alleged digital footprints linking the INEC Chairman to partisan expressions sympathetic to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), had triggered a crisis of confidence.
While noting that Professor Amupitan had denied the allegations, the group insisted that such denials do not resolve the matter in an era of advanced digital forensics, but rather heighten the need for thorough verification.
“In this digital age, denial is not a defence—it is an invitation to forensic scrutiny,” the statement added.
The group further warned that the controversy could escalate into a legal crisis, citing the traceability of digital identities through systems such as the Bank Verification Number (BVN) and National Identification Number (NIN), as well as device-level access logs maintained by digital platforms.
According to the MCE, attempts to frame public scrutiny as cybercrime or to threaten critics with arrest amount to a misuse of state apparatus and could further erode public trust.
Beyond the immediate allegations, the group expressed concern over what it described as a pattern of decisions by INEC that appear to undermine opposition participation, including alleged selective enforcement of electoral regulations.
It warned that such developments risk steering Nigeria towards a de facto one-party state, in violation of constitutional democracy.
The MCE also raised concerns about potential international repercussions, noting that aggrieved parties could seek redress at regional bodies such as the ECOWAS Court, exposing Nigeria to reputational damage and possible sanctions.
It maintained that the allegations, if proven, raise serious ethical questions about Professor Amupitan’s neutrality and fitness for office.
“The only honourable course is for the INEC Chairman to step aside and allow a transparent investigation,” the group stated.
“Nigeria stands at a democratic crossroads. The credibility of its electoral body is central to national stability and the legitimacy of governance.”
Aisha Yesufu faults FCT teachers’ strike, wants Wike to intervene
El-Rufai issues public alert in prison
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