Married Nigerian women can now choose their preferred state of origin, all thanks to the House of Representatives who passed a bill for an act to amen
Married Nigerian women can now choose their preferred state of origin, all thanks to the House of Representatives who passed a bill for an act to amend the Federal Character Commission (Establishment, etc) Act, 2010, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, Cap F7 to give married women the option of indigene-ship and for related matters.
It would give married women the option of choosing the indigene-ship of either their father or husband if passed into law. Prior to the amendment, married women were considered indigenes of their husband’s state.
At the committee of the whole, the lower legislative chamber amended section 2, part 11 of the principal act and introduced a new section. The amended section 2 now provides: “A married woman shall have the option to lay claim to her State or Local Government of origin for the purpose of implementation of the Federal Character formulae at the National level or State as the case may be.”
Edward Pwajok, the sponsor of the bill, had lamented the dilemma women face in either choosing their state of indigene-ship in official matters such as for the purposes of appointment or election.
