“We Need to Change Our Constitution, Not Amend It” Says Human Rights Lawyer, Femi Falana

Yesterday, over 200 women’s groups laid siege on Nigeria’s federal legislature in Abuja to protest the rejection of all gender-related bills during voting the day before on the fifth alteration of the 1999 Constitution.

As a mark of their displeasure, the protesters were joined by some female lawmakers who refused to join their male colleagues in plenary.

Some civil society organisations kick against the retention of the immunity clause for the president and governors in the Constitution, saying it should be deleted in line with the wishes of the people.

Despite the protest, of the 68 bills seeking to amend the Constitution, 46 got the yes vote of both chambers of the National Assembly.

To take a granular look at some of the major bills that got the nod of both Houses and those that were rejected, is Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, popular social critic and civil rights activist.