Wife of the President, Aisha Buhari paid a surprise visit to the Senate chamber on Wednesday to witness proceedings of the upper chamber.
She thus becomes the first Nigerian First Lady to visit the senate to witness proceedings of the House.
The first lady was at the chamber to witness the laying of the Report of the Committee on Constitution Review Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 5th Alteration Bills, 2022 by Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege.
Before laying the report, Senate Leader, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi cited Order 12 to enable the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Mrs. Aisha Buhari; Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development Mrs. Sadiya_Farouq and Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs. Pauline Tallen, to enter the Chamber as distinguished visitors.
Omo-Agege then moved that the Senate do receive the report of the Committee on Constitution Review on the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 5th Alteration Bills, 2022. It was seconded by Senator Betty Apiafi.
After a warm reception from the Senators and remarks by President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, Sergeant-at-arms now lead Aisha Buhari and others out of the Chamber to resume proceedings.
Lawan, in a short remark after the report was laid, said the visit by the First Lady was to show support for a bill to have more female parliamentarians at the federal and state legislatures.
He said, “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.
“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.
“For us as a nation, our motto is Unity and Faith, Peace and Progress. We believe that all hands must be on deck to ensure the participation of each and every segment of our society.”
The Senate President, assured the First Lady that Ninth Assembly, while voting on the amendments to the constitution as contained in the ad-hoc committee’s report, would ensure that women participation in governance is commensurate with their population.
“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.
“Therefore, what we are trying to do (Amendment of the Constitution) will go through voting later to complete the process in the National Assembly”, Lawan said.
