Gender & EquityHuman Rights & FreedomSenate May Not Reconsider Gender Bills – Abaribe

ABUJA — Eyinnaya Abaribe, minority leader of the senate, says the senate may not revisit the gender bills rejected by the national assembly.

The senator representing Abia South Senatorial District made this disclosure on Sunday, March 13, on 90MinutesAfrica, an online interview programme, The Cable reports.

On March 1, federal lawmakers had voted against a bill seeking to provide special seats for women in the national and state houses of assembly.

A bill seeking to provide a “reserve quota” for women on appointments was also rejected.

Following this decision, women’s groups and civil society activists organized a series of protests demanding a reconsideration of the bills.

The house of representatives, subsequently, rescinded its decision on three “gender bills” in the constitution amendment.

Speaking on Sunday, Abaribe expressed surprise that the bills were overwhelmingly rejected by senators during voting and pointed out that their action shows that the”influence of gender and cultural patterns is still very strong and preeminent in their thinking.”

However, he said there is no provision for the bills in the Senate schedule for the remainder of its tenure, adding that”the senate is not reconsidering revisiting the bill.”

He stated that if the bills were to be reconsidered, they would have to be reintroduced as fresh bills.

Noting that the political and electioneering activities ahead of the 2023 elections would make that process difficult to achieve because “senators may not pay attention to the bills as they would be engrossed in ensuring their survival in the political field”, he said that there was a glimmer of hope if both chambers of the national assembly agree to fast track the process.

Speaking further, Abaribe explained how the gender bills were “debated, voted and agreed” upon in the committee sessions.

“The members of the committee came from all parts of the country. So, after agreeing on the gender bills at the committee level we thought they would be passed easily on the floor of the senate without too much problem,” he said.