The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has expressed disappointment that a strong allegation of discriminatory conduct against women was made by a Presidential Adviser on Diaspora Affairs, Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, against the serving Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Patami, and for three days all reputable women human rights organisations have yet to condemn this atrocious tendency if proven.

“These same groups would have protested over mundane and non-substantial matter but this one which touches the core of human rights protection and the mainstreaming of Gender equality in the governance structure of Nigeria, they have suddenly become deaf and dumb,” the rights group observed.

HURIWA said it has watched with consternation the swirling confrontations between Minister and Dabiri-Erewa, chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) much of which centred around the fight over an office space and yet neither President Muhammadu Buhari nor the numerous registered coalitions of gender rights campaigners have deemed it appropriate to take any legitimate mass action to protest this strong case of gender discrimination which is a violation of section 42 of the Nigerian constitution prohibiting discriminatory practices.

It wondered if any women gender groups have called for investigations of the allegations “because it is insensitive and irresponsible to allow someone with the faintest hatred of the women gender to exercise any kind of governmental authority that is funded by the Nigerian tax payers.

“In fact, allowing a person without the greatest respect for all genders to remain in office is to encourage lawlessness and anarchy.”

HURIWA recalled that the disgraceful and odious discord between both government officials became public after NIDCOM published a video in February on its Twitter and accused Pantami of masterminding the eviction of its staff from the office space at the NCC building in Abuja while noting that NCC is under the control of the Ministry Pantami heads.

HURIWA recalled that the confrontation between the duo escalated when Mrs. Dabiri-Erewa doubled down on that claim in an interview with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). The interview was aired on Friday and was later published on NTA’s YouTube channel even as the Minister said on Twitter on Sunday that he was not responsible for the eviction, claiming that the media reports did not tell “a true story.” He has since deleted the tweet.

HURIWA stated that although the Minister dismissed the claims of Dabiri-Erewa as “a big fat lie,” it said it was even shocking that there is now a heightened state of apathy on the part of the organised civil rights community in Nigeria with specific reference to the gender rights advocacy campaigners for these usually vociferous group of activists to be so unconcerned that such a serious and grave threat against womanhood was made against a serving Minister and till now for over three days there is no sign of any strong protests or petition to President Muhammadu Buhari to act to bring this shameful episode to a rational end by investigating the angle of the gender discriminatory tendencies or otherwise of his Minister for Communication and Digital Economy who is considered an Islamic scholar of record.

HURIWA said if the Federal Ministry of Women Development has not become dysfunctional and comatose, this sort of allegations could have attracted their attention but “now that Ministry is moribund and is just a place for giving jobs to the political supporters of Mr. President and nothing more.”