The house of representatives has rescinded its decision on three ”gender bills” in the constitution amendment.
This is coming after women in their numbers stormed the National Assembly following the rejection of women-related bills.
The women, under the aegis of Nigerian Women Groups, had last week stormed the parliament to reject the action of the lawmakers. They had promised to return if the decision was not reversed.
The reversed bills are:
1. Bill to expand scope of citizenship by registration.
2. Provision for criteria to be indigene of a state in Nigeria.
3. Affirmative action for women in political party administration.
The lower legislative chamber overturned its decision on the bills after Hassan Fulata, chairman house committee on business and rules, moved a motion.
“Honourable members recall that on the first of March we voted for constitution amendment on 68 bills,” Fulata said
“However, three (gender) bills could not scale through because we could not obtain the two-third majority to pass the bills.
“Accordingly, in line with our extant rules, I move that we suspend our extant rules to rescind our decision in respect of these three bills and recommit to the committee of the whole for reconsideration.
Femi Gbajabiamila, speaker of the house, said the bills will be considered in the next voting on the constitution amendment coming up in four weeks.
“Last week, the house voted on the constitution amendment,” he said.
“There are issues arising therefrom and the house in its wisdom has decided to take a cause of action for the good of the country and that action is to rescind three of the decisions that were taken that day and after the rescission we will list them on the next set of amendment coming up.”
“If we still at that point have a difference with the senate, we will go for harmonisation.
“Now harmonisation may not be the practice when it comes to constitution amendment because I have heard people argued here and there.
“But the constitution I believe under section 5 allows the house to regulate its own procedure and we will be relying on the provision of the constitution to harmonise the differences between us (house) and the senate and hopefully this will go through.
Federal lawmakers, during the consideration of the clauses of the constitution amendment bills on March 1, voted against the gender bills, including a bill seeking to provide special seats for women in the national and state houses of assembly.
The gender bills failed to pass despite that Aisha Buhari, wife to the President stormed the Senate and House chambers in company with female ministers to lobby the lawmakers as the committee laid its report.
Also on Tuesday, Dolapo Osinbajo, wife to the Vice-President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, accompanied by the Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, observed as members of the House voted on the recommendations by the committee, and watched as the lawmakers voted against the gender bills.