Cross Udo, Abuja
The Federal Government yesterday said 34 out of the 36 states of the federation have domesticated the Child Rights Act dealing with issues of child abuse, child labor forced marriage among others in Nigeria.

The proposed law named “The Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (2015)”  had been domesticated by just 13 states as of 2019, raising concerns in government and child rights circles.

Appearing on the 59th edition of the ministerial media briefing organized by the Presidential Communications Team at the Presidential Villa Abuja, the Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs. Pauline Tallen, who gave the update, said she had been actively involved in the advocacy to ensure that all states key into the initiative.

The Minister said she had personally met with key stakeholders and speakers of state houses Assembly to stress the need for them to pass the bill into law for their governors to assent to.

She was confident that the two remaining states, which she did not name, will soon pass the bill to domesticate the act.

According to her, “We go to the traditional rulers, we go to community leaders, we go to religious leaders, and we go to the state assemblies.”

Tallen also noted that the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari provided in the effort to have all states domesticate the act, complemented by the First Lady, Aisha Buhari, and the Forum of First Ladies.

Although the Minister declined to mention the two states that are yet to domesticate the Act, sources within the ministry said Kano and Zamfara are the two states yet to domesticate the law in their states.

Why court disqualified Tonye Cole as Rivers APC guber candidate

*We will lead Binani’s campaign in Adamawa- Tallen

Meanwhile Tallen, yesterday declared that the decision of the Court of Appeal in Yola to uphold the governorship candidacy of All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Adamawa State, Aisha Binani, was a welcome development, declaring that women will lead the campaign.

There were allegations that the First Lady, Dr Aisha Muhammadu Buhari summoned a stakeholder meeting in Abuja and asked them to support the former Chairman of the Economic Finance and Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nuhu Ribadu.

But the Court of Appeal in Yola yesterday set aside a ruling by the High Court nullifying the candidacy of APC’s candidates, Emmanuel Bwacha and Binani for Taraba and Adamawa states respectively, and ordered that their names be forwarded to the Independent National Electoral Commission as the APC governorship candidates for both states.

A very elated Tallen who broke into the women’s anthem said, “I knew that we will make it. Today is a day that we are going to celebrate. From here we are moving to the house. We will move to the streets and watch what will happen in Adamawa.

“We will lead the campaign, Adamawa women already are fully mobilised, and they have said that if she’s not given her mandate, they will not come out to contest or vote in any election.

“Nigerian women are fully behind her because throughout last night (Wednesday) we did vigil, we have been praying and fasting on this matter and God answered our prayers. Because this is a test case, is not that we don’t have capable women.

“They did it for me in 2011, they did it for late Mama Taraba and I vowed under my stewardship, Lord, wipe my tears and God answered my prayers.

“This is a success story for Buhari’s administration. President Buhari will be the first president to inaugurate a woman as a female governor. Senator Aisha Binani’s case is an election that is already won because the Adamawa people have spoken.

“The President of the National Council of Women Society is from Adamawa, we are monitoring what is happening. I am happy. This is good news for Nigerian women. I am from Plateau, I wish I can vote in Adamawa, I would have moved to Adamawa to vote for her.

“But it is not just women of Adamawa, the men, and youths are crying for a change and they will see by the time Binani gets into office the difference will be clear. The development will take place in Adamawa because she has been tested.

“As a member of the House of Representatives, go to her constituency, as a senator not only in her senatorial zone, Adamawa people have told me that she handles the empowerment of women, youths, elderly, giving out scholarships.

“This lady deserves to be supported. Her victory during the primaries was a landslide victory. I thank God she won the case. These are the answered prayers of Nigerian women.  Whoever told you women don’t like one another, it is not true.

“I have a dream that one day a woman will be the president of Nigeria, just like the dream that Martin Luther Jr had for America and a Blackman became the president. That day is coming if it is not in our generation our children will live to see it.

“More female governors are coming because by the time Binani sets the pace other states will cry out to have more women governors. It is a matter of time, we will get there.”

Tallen also hailed the Federal High Court in Abuja for dismissing the suit filed against Senator Stella Oduah, seeking an order invalidating her nomination as a Senatorial Candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State.

Delivering Judgement, Justice Inyang Ekwo dismissed the suit for being status barred.

A senatorial aspirant in Anambra, John Emeka, had sued Oduah, alleging that she lied under oath in both her expression of interest and nomination forms, including in the INEC Form CF001 which she submitted to the commission for the 2023 Anambra North Senatorial District seat.

On the allegation that men suffer domestic violence in the country, he said it was to knowledge that violence against men exists, but it was minimal (about one percent), compared to violence against women.

She also debunked the allegation that politically, women are enemies of their fellow women, adding that it has been propaganda to discredit the women folk.