Gender Bill rejection: Nigerian women protest at National Assembly

Some Nigerian women on Wednesday stormed the National Assembly complex to protest the Tuesday rejection of a gender bill during constitutional amendment voting.

The aggrieved women, frowning over the rejection of the bill by both chambers of the National Assembly, demanded that the bill be reconsidered.

The protesters decried the action of the members of the Senate and the House of Representatives for voting against the proposed gender bills, claiming that the action of the lawmakers will rob women the opportunity of inclusion and representation in governance.

Both chambers of the National Assembly had rejected the bill which sought to create special seats for women in the federal legislative arm of government.

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The bill entitled “Bill For an Act to alter the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to provide for special seats for women in the National and State Houses of Assembly; and for related matters,” failed after both chambers of the assembly voted against it.

At Reps the bill had 81 voting in its support, 208 against and at the Senate 30 for and 58 against.

Its failure came despite the fact that it enjoyed the backing of Aisha Buhari, wife of President Muhammadu Buhari, and Dolapo Osinbajo, wife of Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo.

While Aisha last week attended plenary alongside Pauline Tallen, Minister Of Women Affairs, to show support for the bill when the report on the legislation was considered, Dolapo Osinbajo was present on Tuesday as the Senate began voting on constitution amendments.

Addressing the women on Wednesday, the Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, told them that the Senate President would address them on non-passage of the constitution amendment bills supporting women.