Married Nigerian Women Can Now Choose Their Own Indigeneship | DETAILS

The House of Representatives has passed a bill to give married women the option of choosing their own indigeneship. This new law grants women the ability to choose their place of origin from either their father or husband’s state.

It was gathered that the house amended the Federal Character Commission (Establishment Act) 2004, to pass the bill. House lawmakers amended clauses 1, 2, 3, and the explanatory memorandum of the principal of the Federal Character Commission, according to The Nation.

On Tuesday, May 7, the bill was amended.

“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 indigeneship and for related matters.”

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Section 2 of Part II of the principal Act was substituted with a new Section 2, which reads:

“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 level as the case may be.”

It was gathered that the bill will now be cited as the Federal Character Commission (Establishment, etc) Act, (Amendment Bill), 2017.

In the last constitution amendment, Citizenship and Indigeneship bills seeking to alter Section 25 of the Constitution to guarantee a married woman’s right to choosing either her indigeneship by birth or by marriage for the purposes of appointment or election was passed in the Senate but was defeated in the House.