The House of Representatives successfully concluded voting on its first set of 68 constitution amendment bills on Tuesday. The exercise was conducted through the electronic platform of the House, otherwise known as e-voting.
Most of the amendment bills secured the mandatory two-thirds votes (240) of the 360-member legislature, with the session being witnessed by the wife of the Vice-President, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo, who came to canvass support for bills promoting women’s interest, especially political participation and gender-based violence.
It can be recalled that the
First Lady, Mrs Aisha Buhari, had a similar visit to the
House of Representatives last week.
“Key bills that succeeded on Tuesday included financial autonomy for local governments/abolition of local government, state joint account; financial independence for state legislatures and the judiciary; independent candidacy; the power of the National Assembly/State Assemblies to summon the President/Governors to answer questions.
Others are for President to give annual State of the Nation address to Parliament; migration of prisons from the exclusive legislative list to the concurrent list; empowering states to build and own airports; states to generate, distribute electricity in areas covered by the National Grid; and making basic education compulsory and free for all children.
“Among the bills that failed was that on immunity for legislators; pension for presiding officers of the legislature; expansion of citizenship by registration; indigenship for married persons; Diaspora voting and mode of removing presiding officers of the legislature.
Three of the bills, which failed, also sought to promote gender-balancing by expanding political participation for women, party administration and the creation of special legislative seats for women.
However, the House approved 20 per cent of ministerial and commissionership appointments for women.
It came through a surprise intervention by Speaker Gbajabiamila, who had tirelessly appealed to his colleagues to pass the gender bills.
