The National Assembly has voted against a bill providing for affirmative action for women in political parties’ administration.
The lawmakers also voted against the bill to create special seats for women in the national and state assemblies.
Both bills got an abysmal number of votes during the clause-by-clause consideration during the ongoing constitution amendment at both chambers in the parliament on Tuesday.
One of the bills is titled, ‘Bill for an Act to Alter the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Provide for Special Seat for Women in the National and State Houses of Assembly; and for Related Matters’.
Sponsored by Nkeiruka Onyejeocha (APC, Abia), a member of the House of Representatives, it sought to alter sections 48, 49, 71,77,91, and 117 of the 1999 Constitution by creating one additional senatorial seat and two federal constituencies in each state and FCT for women.
This would have come down to creating 111 extra seats for women at the National Assembly.
At the House of Representatives, 81 voted for the bill, while overwhelming 208 lawmakers voted against it.
For affirmative action, 34 senators voted for and 53 voted against.
The bills did not get the required number of votes to be passed.
Earlier, the wife of the Vice President, Dolapo Osinbajo, joined lawmakers in the chamber to monitor the proceedings as well as solicit support for the gender bills.
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