First Lady Aisha Buhari was at the National Assembly Wednesday morning to witness the presentation of the report by the Constitution Review Committee.
At the Senate, the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, welcomed the First Lady and her entourage, comprising Ministers of Finance and Women Affairs Zainab Ahmed and Pauline Tallen respectively.
After Lawan invoked Rule 1(b) to admit the First Lady and her delegation into the chamber at exactly 11:58am, Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege (APC, Delta Central), Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Alteration to the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, laid the report at 12:06pm.
“The First Lady’s visit is to show support for a bill for more female parliamentarians in both chambers in the Senate and the House and the State Legislatures,” Lawan explain after Omo-Agege laid the report.
“This, we believe, will help in nation building as such significant participation by our women will add value to not only legislation but the much desired and needed national development,” he said.
He however compared women’s participation in politics to men’s.
“At the moment, you’ll all agree with me that our women have not been able to get that level of participation commensurate with their population as reflected in our demography.
The First Lady and her entourage were ushered into the chamber by the Chief Whip, Mohammed Tahir Monguno, and the Deputy Chief Whip, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha.Leader of the House, Alhassan Ado Doguwa, had earlier moved the motion to usher in the First Lady to observe the day’s proceeding.
Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila also did the honours, and announced she was in the House to witness the presentation of the report on the constitution review and to show her support, especially on the aspects that had to do with women’s interests.