Senate rejects gender parity bill because of Sharia Law

The 8th Senate has rejected the gender parity bill sponsored by Senate Minority Whip, Senator Biodun Olujimi who represents Ekiti South and is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party.The bill’s aim is to empower women economically and politically and also give them equal opportunities in all walks of human life.

It was dubbed “A bill for an Act to Incorporate and enforce certain provisions of the United Nations Convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women, the Protocol of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the rights of women in Africa, and other matters connected therewith, 2016 (SB. 116).The bill, which had initially garnered support from senators suddenly ran out of steam on the floor of the Senate on Tuesday, during plenary.

The bill was opposed on the premise that the provisions of the bill were at loggerheads with the 1999 constitution of Nigeria, which was the same reason a similar proposal was rejected by the 7th senate a few years ago.

The argument against the bill was that it would go against the provisions of the Sharia Court of Appeal which is a part of the 1999 Constitution as amended.