Bill to Provide More Seats for Women in Federal, State Assemblies Scales Second Reading

•House urges FG to suspend Samoa Agreement, seeks probe of contentious clauses

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The House of Representatives has passed for second reading a bill for an Act to alter the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, to provide seat reservation for women in the National and State Houses of Assembly.

Also yesterday, the House of Representatives called on the federal government to suspend the implementation of the Samoa Agreement.

The bill to provide seat reservation for women in the National and State Houses of Assembly was sponsored by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Benjamin Kalu and 12 others.

Leading the debate on the bill at the plenary yesterday, Hon. Joshua Gana, the proposed legislation was aimed at addressing the imbalance in the legislative Houses — the underrepresentation of women in legislative Houses at the national and sub-national levels. 

He added that the bill seeks to alter the constitution and specifically provide seat reservations for women in both the National and State Houses of Assembly.

Gana, noted that the bill was anchored on the fundamental principle of equitable representation and aims to empower women by ensuring their voices are not only heard but that they actively contribute to shaping the legislative landscape and the overall development of our nation.

He added: “The issue of gender equality and representation lies at the heart of our constitutional democracy.  Despite the constitutional guarantee of equal rights, the representation of women in our Legislative Houses has been alarmingly low.

“In the 7th, 8th, and 9th Assemblies, women accounted for only 6.4 percent, 6.1 percent, and 2.7 percent of the Senate respectively; and 6.4 percent, 3.05 percent, and 4.7 percent of the House of Representatives respectively. 

“These statistics underscore the urgent need for proactive measures to ensure equitable representation and amplify the voices of women in our legislative houses at the national and sub-national levels.”

The lawmaker explained that the rationale behind this amendment was based on the principles of fairness and inclusivity. 

Gana, stressed that globally, Nigeria lags behind in women’s representation in parliament, ranking among the lowest.

He pointed out that countries that have implemented affirmative action, like Rwanda and Andorra, have seen significant strides towards gender equality in governance.

Gana, emphasised that the bill proposes a temporary measure of seat reservation for women to catalyse similar progress in Nigeria, ensuring that women’s perspectives and priorities are fully integrated into the national and sub-national decision-making processes.

He said the bill proposes alterations to some sections of the constitution to wit: (a) an alteration of Sections 48 and 49, to provide for one special seat reserved exclusively for women in the Senate and House of Representatives for each State of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, effective after the term of the current National Assembly and subject to review every sixteen years.

Gana, noted that the bill also proposes an alteration of Section 91, to provide for three special seats reserved exclusively for women in Houses of Assembly of each State of the Federation which shall be spread across the three senatorial districts of each State.

The bill further proposes consequential amendments to sections 71, 77, and 117, to ultimately establish special constituencies reserved exclusively for women, ensuring their direct election into and participation in legislative houses and processes at both the federal and state levels.

After the debate of the proposed legislation, which saw some lawmakers spoke in favour and against, Kalu who presided over the debate put it to voice votes and was subsequently referred to the Committee on constitution amendment.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has called on the federal government to suspend the implementation of the Samoa Agreement.

A national daily had reported that there were clauses that mandate Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) rights in the $150 billion Samoa Agreement signed by the Nigerian government on 28 June.

The resolution of the House followed a motion of urgent public importance moved by the Minority Leader, Hon.  Aliyu Madaki, and 87 others on the floor of the House yesterday.

Presenting the motion, Madaki said on June 28, 2024, the federal government signed what was known as the Samoa Agreement with the European Union (EU) to boost food security and inclusive economic development, among other vital areas.

He expressed concern that the agreement allegedly has some clauses that compel underdeveloped and developing nations to support the LGBT community as a condition for getting financial and other support from advanced societies.

Madaki, further expressed concern that Article 97 of the Agreement, which states that, “no treaty, convention, agreement or arrangement of any kind between one or more member States of European and one or more OACPS Members shall impede the implementation of this Agreement,” violates Nigeria’s sovereignty.

He expressed worry that some other Articles, especially Article 2.5, 20.5, 36.2 and 88 in the Samoa Agreement that was signed by the federal government might be inimical to the interest of Nigeria as a country and the values of the people as a whole, more so it does not contain a reservation clause.

The lawmaker stressed that Article 2.5 states that parties shall systematically promote a gender perspective and ensure that gender equality is mainstreamed across all countries.

Madaki added: “Also worried that the phrase gender equality as reported is Trojan horse for deceptively bringing in all sort of immorality to our country, as gender no longer mean two sexes male and female as traditionally understood, it now includes homosexsualism, lesbianism, transgenderism and animalism.”

The lawmaker expressed worry that the signing of such an agreement with the aforementioned clauses, if true, violates the sovereignty and was a clear contravention of Section 12(1) of the 1999 constitution as amended.

He was of the opinion that the federal government might have signed the agreement without exhaustive consultations and consideration for possible long-term consequences.

In his contribution, Minority Leader, Hon. Kingsley Chinda, said the movers of the motion were not approving or condemning the agreement.

Chinda, who was a Co-sponsor of the motion asked his colleagues not to be “judgmental”, adding that the motion was calling for an investigation.

Also, the Majority Whip, Bello Kumo said the federal government should rescind the signing of the agreement and tender an apology to Nigerians.

In his submission, Hon. Ghali Tijani said the House should reject the Samoa Agreement in its “entirety”.

Contributing, Majority Leader, Julius Ihonvbere, told his colleagues that “there is no portion in the agreement that supports LGBTQ.”

The House, therefore, called on the “Federal government to suspend the implementation of the Samoa Agreement until all controversial clauses are clearly defined to make sure they do not violate any law in Nigeria;

“Mandate the Committees on National Planning and economic development, Justice, Treaties, Protocol and agreement to interface with relevant government agencies to reserve grey areas in the agreement.”