Reps woo Tinubu, others over special parliamentary seats for women

From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja

The House of Representatives has implored President Bola Tinubu and state governors, as well as other stakeholders to support the bill seeking to create special seats for women in the national and state houses of assembly.

Chairman, House Committee on Women Affairs, Khalifat Ogbara, made the call yesterday, while speaking at a media briefing on the ‘Reserved Seats for Women Bill.’ 

Ogbara explained that the bill, if passed into law, would ensure the inclusion of women in governance.

The Green Chamber recently passed for second reading, a bill seeking to create 74 special seats for women in the two chambers of the National Assembly and 108 special seats for women in the 36 states Houses of Assembly, in the country.

The bill sponsored by the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu and 12 others, proposed one special Senate seat for women per state and in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), as well as one special House of Representatives seat for women per state and the FCT.

The proposed legislation, if passed into law, would also create three special seats to be drawn from each senatorial district for women in the 36 states Houses of Assembly and would be subject to review after 16 years. Ogbara explained that the bill aligns with goal five of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which emphasises gender equality and empowerment of women and girls.

The lawmaker noted that women’s representation in governance and decision making process in the country had been very low. According to her, Nigerian women, despite making up half of the country’s population, were still under-represented in the federal and state legislatures.

“The Reserve Seat for Women Bill is not just about numbers; it is about giving women a voice in the decision-making processes that affect their lives and communities. By increasing women’s representation, we can ensure that their perspectives, needs and rights are adequately addressed in policy formulation and implementation.

“Studies have shown that when women are included in decision-making processes, economic growth is accelerated and benefits the entire nation.

“It is time to break the barriers that have hindered women’s participation in politics and governance. We must work together to advocate for its passage and ensure it becomes law.

“Together, we can create a more equitable society where women’s voices are heard and valued. This bill is not just a legislative proposal, it is a commitment to building a future where every woman has the opportunity to contribute their voice to our nation’s governance.”

Furthermore, Ogbara stated that, “the bill includes provisions to encourage the participation of women from diverse backgrounds, including young women, women with disabilities and those from marginalised communities.

“The bill outlines mechanisms for monitoring progress and evaluating the impact of these reserved seats on women’s representation and participation in governance and will be reviewed after four election cycles.”