Ekwunife Seeks Visa Ban For Critics Who Target Women In Politics
As conversations around women’s political participation grow louder across Nigeria, Senator Uche Ekwunife has called for visa restrictions against individuals who deliberately malign and blackmail politically active women, describing such attacks as a major barrier to female inclusion in governance.
Ekwunife made the call during a high-level meeting with the Political Section of the British High Commission, led by its Head of Political Section, Lucy Green, during a courtesy visit to her Abuja office.
The senator argued that many women are discouraged from contesting political offices due to intimidation, harassment, financial exclusion, and reputational attacks orchestrated to weaken their chances against male politicians.
She urged the international community and foreign embassies to consider visa bans for individuals who intentionally slander and blackmail women with the capacity and ambition to lead politically.
Ekwunife also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing more women into his cabinet, saying it reflects a commitment to inclusive governance and stronger female representation in leadership.
On economic reforms, she backed the removal of fuel subsidy, describing it as necessary and long overdue.
She also praised government initiatives such as the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), the Compressed Natural Gas initiative, consumer credit schemes, and agricultural support programmes aimed at easing economic pressure on citizens.
Speaking on security, the senator stressed that national safety requires collective responsibility, noting that intelligence from citizens remains vital in tackling insecurity, especially in unconventional warfare.
Responding, Green said the UK places women and girls at the centre of its foreign policy and assured that the concerns raised would be considered in ongoing diplomatic engagements.
She described UK-Nigeria relations as long-standing and strategic, noting that Nigeria remains a key partner, with about one million Nigerians living in the United Kingdom contributing significantly to economic, cultural, and political ties.
Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to stronger cooperation on women’s inclusion, governance, security, migration, and electoral monitoring as part of broader efforts to deepen UK-Nigeria relations.
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