Reps Reject Bill For Special Seats For Women In Parliament

The House of Representatives has rejected a bill seeking to reserve special seats for Women at the National and State Houses of Assembly.

This followed the rejection of the bill at the electronic voting on the amendment of 1999 Constitution in Abuja

The bill entitled,” A 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 at the National and State Houses of Assembly”.

Eight-one lawmakers voted in favour of the bill, while 208 voted against it and 13 members abstained from voting.

Present at the voting was Dolapo Osinbajo, the wife of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who tried to lobby for the adoption of the bill by the lawmakers.

Dolapo was accompanied by the Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, Civil Society Organisations and women groups.

The lawmakers also rejected a bill for an Act to alter the provisions of the 1999 constitution to provide for affirmative action for women in political party administration.

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