The House of Representatives has reversed its decision on three gender-related bills that failed to pass into law.
The Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, demanded cancellation of the votes on the affected bills after the lawmakers’ closed door meeting on Tuesday.
There are five gender bills, those to be reviewed are Bill 36 to “expand the scope of citizenship by registration;” Bill 37 to “provide for affirmative action for women in political party administration;” and Bill 38 to “provide criteria for qualification to become an indigene of a state in Nigeria.”
While those that won’t be revisited are Bill 35 to “provide for special seat for women in the National and State Houses of Assembly;” and Bill 68 “to give women a quota in the federal and state executive councils or ministerial and commissionership seats.”
Gbajabiamila said that the three bills would be part of the second batch of amendment bills to be considered.
Female members of the House as well as some male counterparts gave the Speaker a standing ovation after the lawmakers ratified the reversal via voice vote.
The lawmakers had Tuesday last week, voted on the 68 recommendations by the Joint Senate and House Special Ad Hoc Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution.
The rejection of the five bills had triggered protests at the entrance of the National Assembly, as women groups called for the cancellation by the two legislative arms.
