Alex Enumah
Justice Donatus Okorowo of the Federal High Court in Abuja has, on Wednesday, ordered the Federal Government to comply with the 35 percent affirmative action for women.
Affirmative action for women refer to various government policies or programmes aimed particularly at increasing the proportion of women in various sectors historically considered to be male-dominated.
Justice Okorowo made the order while delivering judgment in a suit filed by some women groups challenging the alleged marginalisation of women by the federal government.
In arriving at its decision, the court agreed with the plaintiffs that the lopsided appointments by the President Muhammadu Buhari led government was unlawful and an arbitrary violation of the National Gender Policy 2006, Sections 42, 147 (3) and 14 (3) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, and Articles 2, 13 (2) and (3) and Article 19 of the African Charter of Human and Peoples Rights.
The plaintiffs are: the Nigeria Women Trust Fund; Women Empowerment Legal Aid; Centre for Democracy and Development West Africa; Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre; Vision Spring Initiative, and Women in Politics Forum.
The court also agreed with the women groups that the “overwhelmingly predominant appointment of the male gender into decision making positions of the Federation” was wrong, unlawful, unconstitutional and a violation of the provisions of the earlier cited laws.
The judge, accordingly granted all the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs, and restrained the president from further exercising the constitutional and statutory power of appointment in a manner violating the 35 per cent affirmative action policy of the government as contained in the National Gender Policy, 2006.
The judge also held that there was a policy statement on an all-inclusive government, adding that the federal government should honour its policy statement and not implement them in a selective manner.
He held: “All the reliefs sought in the Originating Summons are resolved in favour of the plaintiffs.”
The judge earlier dismissed the preliminary objections of the defendants, including President Muhammadu Buhari and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).
