Gender Equality Bill Will be Re-Presented – Senate President, Bukola Saraki

Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has said that the gender equality bill, which was thrown out by the Senate on Tuesday will be reintroduced to the Senate after being redrafted.The bill, which was sponsored by the Senate Minority Whip, Biodun Olujimi (PDP, Ekiti South), seeks to empower women politically and economically, as well as grant them equal opportunities with men in diverse human endeavours.
But it was rejected after Senators argued that most of its provisions were in conflict with the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, the same reason given by lawmakers in the Seventh Senate, when similar bill was also rejected.
“I have it on good authority that Senator Biodun Olujimi who introduced this bill will reintroduce it after re-drafting it to address some of the reservations that were expressed on the floor of the Senate,” Saraki was quoted as saying in a statement by his Special Adviser on Gender, Ms. Fatima Kakuri.However, Saraki, who said he met with Olujimi in the morning today to discuss the bill, noted that the bill could still be passed after modifications.