Federal lawmakers are expected to vote on Bills proposed by its committee to amend the 1999 Constitution today.
Dolapo Osinbajo, wife of the Vice President of Nigeria, Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday led a delegation of women to observe the Senate’s plenary.
Federal lawmakers are expected to vote on Bills proposed by its committee to amend the 1999 Constitution today.
The Senate President Ahmad Lawan recognised the presence of Mrs Osinbajo and her team at the gallery.
Last Wednesday, Nigeria’s first lady, Aisha Buhari, was at the National Assembly to attend a plenary session in the Senate.
She was in the Senate to observe the laying of the report of the Constitution Review to be done by the Committee headed by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege.
Buhari attended the plenary to throw her weight behind an item for amendment in the 1999 constitution which seeks specific seats to be created for female legislators.
The First Lady was accompanied to the Chambers by the Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Pullen Tallen; Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed and some of her aides.
Recall that the Joint Senate and House Committees on Constitution review had made a recommendation which will allow greater women representation in the legislative arm of government.
The Committee had recommended the creation of 111 additional legislative seats in the National Assembly and two additional seats per senatorial zone in state Houses of Assembly and the Federal Capital Territory which will be solely occupied by women come 2023.
Also at the House of Representatives, the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila; and Majority Leader, Ado Doguwa, announced that Mrs Osinbajo would be in the chamber to observe proceedings.
However, some lawmakers repeatedly screamed “no” in their protest against her coming into the chamber as they consider the report. Others however replied with “yes.”
Gbajabiamila, who noted that the minority would always have their say and the majority would always have their way, put the admittance of the Vice-President’s wife into the chamber to voice vote.
Though the nays were more than the ayes, the Speaker ruled that the ayes had it.