Reps

The House of Representatives has introduced a bill to amend Section 49 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) to allocate six special seats for women and persons living with disabilities (PWDs).

The bill, titled “Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) (Six Special Seats for Special Interest Groups) Bill, 2024 (HB.1811),” was presented for its first reading during plenary on Wednesday.

Sponsored by House Spokesman Akintunde Rotimi (Ekiti-APC), the proposed amendment seeks to increase the total number of representatives in the House from 360 to 366, with the six additional seats reserved specifically for women and PWDs.

According to the bill, these special seats would be distributed evenly across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, ensuring one representative from each group per region. Candidates for these seats must meet all qualifications required for regular House members.

The bill also proposes that elections for these roles would be conducted through an electoral college made up of members from the National Associations of each special group, with input from grassroots and regional levels in a multi-tiered election process.

It added that, once elected, the representatives would serve the same term as other House members and receive equivalent benefits, as outlined in the bill.

Rotimi stated that the bill aims to enhance representation for women and individuals with disabilities, who often face significant barriers to political participation.

“The inclusion of these special seats will ensure that the voices of underrepresented groups are heard at the national level, creating a more balanced and inclusive legislative framework for Nigeria,” he said.

The House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora Matters has requested the Canadian Government to prosecute one Amaka Patience Sunnberger, a Nigerian citizen based in the country, for hate speech.

The demand was contained in a letter jointly signed by Tochukwu Okere, chairman of the committee; and Biodun Omoleye, chairman of Nigeria-Canada Parliamentary Friendship Group.

Recall that in a recent viral TikTok clip, Sunnberger was heard threatening to kill fellow Nigerians living in Canada.

“Record me, it’s time to start poisoning the meals of the Yorubas and Benin people, poison their food and drinks at work so they can begin to die one by one,” she said.

In the letter dated August 28, 2024 and addressed to James Christoff, Canada’s high commissioner to Nigeria, the lawmakers said Sunnberger’s comments “are a direct threat” to the lives and safety of millions of Nigerians.

“On behalf of the Nigeria-Canada Parliamentary Friendship Group, we are writing to express our deep concern regarding the actions of Ms. Amaka Patience Sunberger, a Nigerian citizen residing in Canada,” the letter reads.

“Ms. Sunberger has recently been recorded making inflammatory statements that incite violence against the Yoruba and Edo ethnic groups in Nigeria, including advocating for the poisoning of food and water supplies to achieve their mass genocide.

“We urge that Ms. Sunnberger be prosecuted under the relevant sections of the Criminal Code of Canada to hold her accountable for her incitement to genocide and hate speech,” the lawmakers said.

“We request that the Canadian government issue a public condemnation of Ms. Sunnberger’s actions to reaffirm Canada’s commitment to combatting hate speech, violence, and genocide.

“We also request that Canadian authorities collaborate with Nigerian authorities to prevent any potential escalation of violence because of Ms. Sunnberger’s incitement, and to ensure that justice is served.

“Canada and Nigeria share a strong bilateral relationship founded on mutual respect for human rights and the rule of law.

“The actions of Ms. Sunnberger threaten to undermine these values. We trust that you will take all necessary steps to address this issue in accordance with Canadian and international law.”