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The immediate past speaker of Edo State House of Assembly, Elizabeth Ativie has likened her six months’ suspension by members of the house to an imprisonment.
Ativie, who is the first female speaker of the House and a member representing Uhunmwode constituency in the Assembly, said that the suspension had made her strong and more determined to always speak the truth.
“I was in prison for six months when I was suspended. I came out of it strong and more determined to speak the truth always. Women have been longing to hear from me after the six months of incarceration”, she said.
She made the remarks during the presentation of a keynote address, titled, ‘Press for Progress: A boost for women as partners in progress, economically and politically’ at the celebration of the 2018 International Women’s Day organised by Bridge International Academics in partnership with the Edo State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress- Women Committee (NLC-WC) in Benin-City.
Recall that the former speaker was suspended for six months by members of the House following her failure to return official vehicles in her custody to the House immediately after her impeachment.
The former speaker, who encouraged the womenfolk to come out from their shell and join partisan politics, however urged them to disregard the widely notion that politics is a dirty game, for cultists and that women involved in it are into prostitution, among other negative social vices.
She also added that her power lies on her husband, who constantly undergoes spiritual purification and supplications whenever she is in political contest to ensure that she comes out victorious.
“Because of the respect and privilege my husband has allowed me to participate in politics, I am also very careful not to do anything that will dent my marriage. You can’t see me in an unholy place. Nobody in this state can say I have seen this woman in an unholy place.
“You can’t see me in any cult. I do not belong to any cult, and by the grace of God I am a Catholic, a practising Catholic and I will die in catholic. So when people come to tell you that ‘if you never bath you will not belong’. I have been elected into the state house of assembly three times.
“So this is to encourage you that all those stories are what I call ‘old wine tales’. They are told by men to discourage you. I have come to tell you do not be discouraged,” she said.
While calling for the speedy passage of the gender and equal opportunity bill currently at the National Assembly, she expressed the optimism that when the bill is passed, it would create a level playing field for aspirants vying for elective position as well as political appointment.
She however, called on women with political capacity, economic prowess and public influence to join political parties and build an overwhelming support base for women.
The lawmaker, who also called on women in leadership positions to use their influence to push for the implementation of 35 percent affirmative action, added that the forum of female parliamentarians in the thirty-six States Houses of Assembly was currently lobbying for its passage.
She also announced the proposal of reduction of public officers, reservation of special seats for the under-represented gender such as quota system for female contestants, a quota in elective positions and appointments where at least a candidate belonging to the under-represented gender on every third place is reserved.
Earlier, Adesuwa Ifedi, vice Ppresident, Policy and Partnership, Bridge International Academics, the sponsor of the programme, advocated for equal opportunity for education of a girl child in the country.
IDRIS UMAR MOMOH, BENIN
