Headline

Aisha Buhari, Govs’ Wives Preferred Dubai Party To Gender Bills – Group

Published

3 years ago

March 8, 2022

Civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, on Tuesday, knocked the Ahmad Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila led Ninth National Assembly over its insistence to drop pro-women bills which members voted on and rejected in the ongoing amendments to the 1999 Constitution.

The group said the wife of the President, Aisha Buhari, and the 36 governors’ wives preferred to celebrate the birthday of the First Lady in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, the same day they couldn’t convince the male-dominated National Assembly to pass the pro-women provisions in the ongoing constitution amendment.

HURIWA, in a statement by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, also said the Ninth Assembly has entered the negative side of national history by not giving women equal roles as men in government.

About four-gender related bills failed to pass at the Senate and the House of Representatives last week which has generated condemnations both within and outside the National Assembly.

The rejected proposals include Bill 35 to “provide for special seat for women in the National and state Houses of Assembly;” Bill 37 to “provide for affirmative action for women in political party administration;” and Bill 68 which to give women a quota in the federal and state executive councils or ministerial and commissionership seats.

Reacting, HURIWA’s Onwubiko said, “It is unfortunate that the Ninth Assembly has insisted that it won’t pass the pro-women provisions that would have been included in the yet-to-be amended constitution. The immediate consequence is that the current set of legislators in Abuja have entered the national book of infamy as reactionary elements who are afraid of their shadows because majority of them can’t win in a free and fair contest without bribing voters and the Independent Electoral Commission.

“It is the fear for their political future because their political status now is tainted by corruption and bribery that is why they are scared that if the enabling legislative environment is created for women participation in politics, they do not have any further prospects.

“Their parasitic nature on the political system has made them resort to fighting tooth and nail to prevent the revolutionary laws that would have resulted from the affirmative action and the other pro-women progressive legislations.

“Nigeria must learn from neighbouring Liberia which produced Ellen Johnson Sirleaf as President for 12 unbroken years. Nigeria must learn from Tanzania which currently has Samia Suluhu Hassan as President. Nigeria must learn from the United States which currently has Kamala Harris as Vice-President. Nigeria must learn from world nations providing the atmosphere for women to thrive in politics as well as other areas. The focus should be on capacity and competence and not masculine ego with empty heads.

“HURIWA calls for a repeat of the vote because the last vote was done like a secret cult. However, going forward, there has to be transparent free, fair, accountable and publicly advertised votes so Nigerians can see who voted and who rejected the credible legislation to empower women’s political participation.

“The President’s wife, Aisha Buhari; the Vice-President’s wife, Dolapo Osinbajo; as well as the wives of the 36 state governors now that they must have returned from their birthday ceremony in Dubai, must be vocal at this time to press home their demands. Failure to do this is a betrayal to womanhood.”

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Headline

Ugandan President Ignores S’Court Ruling, Approves Law To Try Civilians In Military Courts

Published

18 hours ago

June 16, 2025

Editor

Ugandan President, Yoweri Museveni, on Monday, signed a new law allowing civilians to be tried in military courts that critics said could be used against opposition leaders ahead of next year’s election.

The new law comes despite a ruling by the Supreme Court in late January that it was unconstitutional for civilians to be tried in military courts as was the case for opposition leader, Kizza Besigye.

Besigye, 69, was abducted by armed men in Nairobi in November and re-emerged a few days later at a military court in Uganda, where he was charged with treason, which carries a potential death penalty.

Following the Supreme Court ruling, his case was moved to a civilian court.

But the new law provides for “exceptional circumstances” under which civilians can be subjected to military law, including the “unlawful possession of arms, ammunition or equipment,” one of the other charges Besigye is facing.

The signing of the law was announced by Uganda’s parliament on X.

Besigye’s lawyer, Erias Lukwago, told AFP that the law was designed to facilitate the “illegal detention and trial of Besigye and others”.

Besigye has been in jail for more than the six-month legal limit for detention without trial.

Uganda’s other major opposition leader, Bobi Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, told AFP, “All of us in the opposition are being targeted by the Act.”

Human rights lawyer and activist, Eron Kiiza — who was jailed by a military court for six months for alleged misconduct while defending Besigye — said he would legally “challenge the Act”.

Rights groups said Besigye’s abduction and trial for treason were linked to the election in January when 80-year-old Museveni will seek to extend his 40 years in power.

AFP

Headline

Turkish President, Erdogan Calls Putin, Accused Israel Of Threatening Regional Security

Published

1 day ago

June 16, 2025

Editor

…says “lawless attitude” of Netanyahu’s govt “poses threat to international system

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Israel of threatening security in the Middle East during a phone call with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Monday, his office said.

“The spiral of violence that began with Israel’s attacks on Iran has put the security of the entire region at risk,” Erdogan was quoted as saying.

His office said he told Putin that the “lawless attitude” of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government “poses a clear threat to the international system”, adding that the Middle East “cannot tolerate a new war”.

The Kremlin said Putin and Erdogan used the conversation to call for an “immediate” end to fighting between Israel and Iran.

“The leaders called for an immediate end to hostilities and the settlement of contentious issues, including those related to Iran’s nuclear programme, exclusively through political and diplomatic means,” the Kremlin said in its readout of the call.

Turkey has stepped up its diplomacy since Israel launched aerial attacks on Iran last Friday and Tehran struck back on the weekend, in their most intense confrontation in history.

Headline

Iran, Israel Need ‘To Fight It Out’ To Reach Deal – Trump

Published

1 day ago

June 16, 2025

Editor

US President Donald Trump on Sunday urged Iran and Israel — who are locked in an exchange of military strikes — to “make a deal,” but suggested they might need to “fight it out” first.

“I think it’s time for a deal,” Trump told reporters, as Israel and Iran exchanged a fresh barrage of missile strikes and threatened more devastation in a conflict that appeared to be intensifying.

“But sometimes they have to fight it out, but we’re going to see what happens,” Trump said, speaking at the White House before heading to Canada to take part in a G7 summit.

After decades of enmity and a prolonged shadow war fought through proxies and covert operations, the latest conflict marks the first time arch-enemies Israel and Iran have traded fire with such intensity, triggering fears of a lengthy conflict that could engulf the entire Middle East.

It began Friday, when Israel launched attacks that have killed top military commanders and nuclear scientists, and struck military bases, nuclear sites and residential areas across the country.

Trump refused to answer a question about whether he had asked Israel to pause airstrikes on Iran.

Earlier, a senior US official told AFP that Trump had vetoed an Israeli plan to assassinate Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform that he believed the two sides “should make a deal, and will make a deal.”

There are “many calls and meetings now taking place” on the issue and peace could be achieved “soon” between the longtime adversaries, he said.