Bill To Create Extra 74 Seats For Women In Parliamentary Passes 2nd Reading

By Ibrahim H. Tinja

… Rep Fatima Talba Canvases Support

… Seeks Male Counterparts’ Understanding

The member representing Nangera/Potiskum Constituency in the House of Representatives, Reps Fatima Talba, has supported the bill and Canvases understanding of the male Counterparts.
While seconding the bill, she appealed for the understanding of her male counterparts not to kill the bill as its dangerous for the future of women in the country.

According to her, the bill is not to take over their seats, adding that “ours is to complement their efforts, if given support their female children may fall victims in the near future”, she said.
Hajia Fatima recalled that women constitute over 65 percent of the country’s population and most votes cast come from them.

She posited that; “I don’t know why you are not too friendly in the afternoon to women”, saying that one day you will leave that seat for someone else. She said that you are only giving us a special seat not taking over your seat. She seriously appealed to the male Counterparts to allow the bill to see the light of the day. Taking the opportunity of the support, Mr Kalu put the bill to a voice vote. The deputy speaker ruled in favor of those in favor of the bill even though those against it were more.

The bill was referred to the House Committee on Constitution Review, statutorily chaired by Mr Kalu.
A similar bill on the creation of extra legislative seats was introduced in the last Assembly, but the lawmakers rejected the bill.

It was one of the five gender bills introduced in that Assembly.

One of the bills sought to grant citizenship to foreign-born husbands of Nigerian women.
Another bill sought to allocate 35 per cent of political positions based on appointment to women.

Following the rejection of the bills, women’s groups barricaded the entrance of the National Assembly in protests at the time. The then leadership of the House had promised to revisit the bills but failed to do so till that House adjourned sine die.

The passage of this bill is one of the items on the legislative agenda of this current Assembly.
According to the document, the bill was to be introduced before the end of 2023. The lawmakers are already behind schedule.

The bill, among others, proposes to amend sections 48 and 49 of the constitution to provide one special seat reserved exclusively for women jn the Senate and House of Representatives for each state of the federation and the FCT.