Cross River 2023: Is Governor Ayade Reneging On His Promise To Give Women 35% Affairmative Action in Elective Offices?

 

A fair and just  democratic Country is the one which practice democracy where women do not only have the right to vote  but also to be voted for. 

In the words of famous American labour avtivist, Dolores Huerta, “We do not only need women in civic life, We  need women to run for office, amd elected in political office. We need Women to be at the table where and when decisions are being made so as to guarantee  that the right decisions will be made.”

In Nigeria, and Cross River in particular, every administration has its style and method of running the affairs of Governance. Governor Ben Ayade-led administration, since its inception in 2015 to date earned glowing accolades as the most gender-sensitive and friendly government in Nigeria, where women were appointed and elected to handle top ranking positions like the Chief Judge,  Secretary to the State Government (SSG); several  Commissioners and Heads of government parastatals, Chairpersons  of Councils, Vice Chairpersons and others as Special Advisers, Senior Special Assitants ,Special Asisstants and numerous Personal Assitants, in  ensuring that they have a stake in the decision-making and governance of the State.

Governor Ayade, because of  this singular act, has since remained the reference point for women inclusiveness and participatory government, not only in Nigeria but entire Africa. 

And since Governor Ayade is midwifing the transition of Government from his administration to the incoming for elective offices, one would need no soothsayer to think that more women will be given an opportunity.

But what is on ground looks rather not in Ayade's known  book of politics with ethics by giving more women an opportunity to not only vote but be voted for inline with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Five (SGDs) which Cross River State under Ayade has greatly aligned with.

Govermor Ayade had in several fora postulated that "Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world, starting from Cross River State.” 

But the blatant neglect of the womenfolk in its consideration for elective political positions at the just-concluded primary elections for both All Progressives Congress (APC) and even  the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the State will astound even the most bemused political pundit.

More worrisome and  disheartening to note is that Cross River State produced the National Women Leaders of the two leading political parties in Nigeria with Dr. Betta Edu for the All Progressives Congress ,(APC) and Prof. Stella Attoe for the Peoples Demcratic Party (PDP), and could not see the effect of such officials or any intervention relating to the consideration of women for elective political positions, to the chagrin of women in the State and indeed nationally.

Statistics have shown that, for example, in APC, apart from the automatic ticket to Rt Hon. Regina Ayogo and Hon. Cynthia Nkasi both of Yala I and Yala II State Constituencies, respectively, in the State House of Assembly, no single woman was given any oppotunity for the other remaining twenty three house seats, but rather, there are all occupied by men.

For the Federal parliaments (House of Representatives and Senate), no woman was given an opportunity in the party concesus  arrangement that led to the emmergence of candidates. All of those who came out, powerful as they are, were all shut out for their male counterparts in all the eight federal Constituencies and Three Senatorial Districts.

Despite their vigorous campaigns, taking awareness on women’s political consciousness and readiness for elective positions in the State to the grassroots, their efforts were left to be merely a futile joke.

A few worthy mentions in no particular order will suffice: Barr. Mary Ekpere-Ettah - Ikom/Boki Federal Constituency; Martha Agba - Obudu/Bekwarra/ Obanliku Federal Constituency; Hon. Ada Charles Egwu - Akamkpa/Biase Federal Constituency; Barr. Tina Banku Agbor - Ikom/Boki federal Constituency,Otanya Odey - Yala 1 State Constituency in the Cross River State House Of Assembly; Blessing Ekpo - Yakuur in the Cross River State House Of Assembly; Carolyn Williams Okem - Ogoja/ Yala Federal Constituency; Torita Odey - Ogoja State Constituency in the Cross River State House Of Assembly; Hon. Mrs. Esther Bassey - Calabar South in the Cross River State House Of Assembly; Bukie Okangbe - Boki 2 State Constituency in the Cross River State House Of Assembly, among others too numerous to mention; all sought the party’s ticket for those respective positions, but were ignored by the party’s leadership.

It is very pathetic that in 2023, Cross River State will have not a single woman in both houses of the National Assembly. How effective decisions will be made concerning women in the State without their contributions from the State, remains a major question begging for answers. It is indeed pathetic!

But there is a glimmer of hope still lurking in the shadows. It would be very pleasing at this point for a woman to be considered as running mate to the governorship candidate, especially in the APC. And this female, with regards to proper political calculations, should be chosen from the Central Senatorial District of the State being a battle ground. For it will only be fitting for a woman to be Cross River’s deputy governor, having been ignored in all other elective positions in the State.

Popular, cool, calm, calculated, easy-going, resourceful and loyal persona, with electoral value  in a woman as the number two citizen of the state with rich national contacts should be part of the qualities required of an assistant pilot that will join the large aircraft to fly Cross River to a promised destination from the Central region of the state under the APC and even the PDP.

May I call on Governor Ayade (and the opposition parties too) to ponder on this female deputy governor proposition and expedite action as a gender advocate and lover of women himself to strike a balance from the seeming neglect of women in the forthcoming political dispensation.

Let me also use this opportunity to call on women to continue to speak out for their rights in the polity, as I paraphrase the words of Audre Lorde, an American writer, feminist and civil rights activist: “In the cause of silence, each of us draws the face of her own fear — fear of contempt, of censure, or some judgment, or recognition, of challenge, of annihilation. But most of all, I think, we fear the visibility without which we cannot truly live… And that visibility which makes us most vulnerable is that which also is the source of our greatest strength.”

Archibong Effiom Bassey, a proud Cross Riverian, Writes from New York, United States of America

Tel: +151-034-1047

Email: archibongeffiombassey36@gmail.com