The Campaign for Good Governance group, has come out in support of Princess Miriam Onuoha for the position of deputy speaker of the Federal House of Representatives.
The group, which is based in Kano, in a statement over the weekend, said it was proper for a woman to occupy one of the four major positions of the 10th National Assembly, namely president of the Senate, deputy Senate president, speaker of the House of Representatives and deputy speaker.
While appealing to newly elected and returning members of the House of Representatives, the group said it was “only rational that one of the six top leadership offices in Nigeria, should accommodate a woman.”
They argued that “since Hon. Princess Miriam Onuoha was the only woman among the seven contenders for the seat of the Speaker, common sense dictates that the women should be carried along by our great party.
“We appreciate the fact that our great party has zoned these seats in the wisdom of our leaders. Fortunately, Hon. Princess Miriam Onuoha comes from the zone given the Deputy speakership. We are saying that we have enough men there already and the women deserve the deputy speaker slot.”
Bello Abdulkadir, the convener of the group, who signed the statement, said “Nigeria deserves balancing in every department so as to carry every one along in both gender and religious issues.”
Meanwhile, insiders in the National Assembly also informed that several stakeholders of the party from Imo State have also weighed in on Onuoha’s ambition.
According to a reliable source, the stakeholders have reached out to the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, over the matter.
One of the stakeholders who is a close associate to the governor of the state said the stakeholders have also put in words in support of Hon. Onuoha with the party leadership.
For those who do not know her, she is the chairman, House of Representatives committee on disabilities and special needs.
Onuoha, who represents Okigwe North/ Onuimo/Isiala Mbano Federal Constituency of Imo State is the only returning female lawmaker from the South East geopolitical zone of Nigeria.
She is a graduate of estate management from the University of Lagos and also holds a master’s degree in environmental planning and protection (MEPP) from the University of Abuja.
Before her election into the federal parliament, she had served as a senior special assistant to a former governor of Bayelsa State on international development and cooperation, amongst other previous political engagements.
She was also a board member of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC).
