Obi advocates for women’s rights, says Kingibe, Natasha face hostility despite being in power
Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has emphasised the crucial role of women’s rights, equality and empowerment in advancing Nigeria’s development.
In a statement marking this year’s International Women’s Day on Saturday, Obi urged the government to ensure a minimum of 25% representation for women in governance and to make aggressive investments in girl-child education.
Highlighting the state of women’s rights in Nigeria, the former Anambra State governor lamented that despite their resilience, many women remain trapped in cycles of poverty, with limited access to basic healthcare—including inadequate neonatal care and high infant mortality rates—education, and other essential services.
He also pointed out the significant educational and security challenges faced by women, noting that girls constitute the majority of Nigeria’s out-of-school children and are disproportionately affected by violence, abductions, and other forms of insecurity.
Obi further criticized the underrepresentation of women in leadership, describing Nigeria’s political system as a “brutal reality for women” that not only resists their inclusion but actively pushes them out.
“Even for the few women who break through these systemic barriers and secure positions of power, the challenges are relentless,” he wrote.
“Senator Ireti Kingibe and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan are just two examples of women who, despite their electoral victories, continue to face the harshest forms of discrimination and hostility in our public space.”
To address these issues, Obi called for immediate action, urging the government to implement policies that guarantee at least 25% representation for women in decision-making bodies across all arms of government. Without such measures, he warned, women will continue to be marginalised in both elective and appointive positions.
He also stressed the need for substantial investment in girl-child education, particularly in disadvantaged regions, to break the cycle of inequality and underdevelopment.
Women are the backbone of our society, and the progress of our nation depends on ensuring they have equal opportunities to shape our collective future,” Obi concluded.
