Gender bills: Atedo Peterside backs ‘one million march’, says ‘confident men should support women’

Atedo Peterside, the founder of Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc and president of the Anap Foundation, has called on Nigerian men to support women.

Atedo said this in reaction to the decision of the national assembly to vote against bills seeking to amend the constitution to provide more opportunities for women in politics and governance.

Women had held a protest at the national assembly on March 2 over the rejection of the gender bills, while there is another protest planned for March 8.

In a tweet on Monday, Peterside also canvassed support for the ‘one million march’ scheduled to hold on Tuesday.

“If you do not appreciate your mother then I am sorry for you. Tis time to rethink. Confident men should support our women because we need them at the table,” he tweeted.

If you do not appreciate your mother then I am sorry for you. Tis time to rethink. Confident men should support our women because we need them at the table. #BreakTheConstitutionalBias pic.twitter.com/S41ZZsEOI7

— Atedo Peterside (@AtedoPeterside) March 7, 2022

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TheCable had earlier reported how 229 civil society organisations (CSOs) faulted the national assembly over the rejection of the bills.

“The NASS has spoken loud and clear that they do not want progress for society: for mothers, aunties, sisters, wives, and for daughters” the CSOs had said.

“The men of the 9th NASS have reinforced the discrimination and political bias against women as enshrined in the 1999 constitution by denying citizenship to a foreign-born husband of a Nigerian woman (while it allows Nigerian men’s foreign-born wives to be awarded automatic citizenship), denying Nigerian women indigeneity through marriage,  denying 35% appointed positions for women and settling for 20%, denying women affirmative action in party administration and leadership, and denying specific seats for women in the National Assembly.”