Reserved seats bill: Lobbying intensifies as N/Assembly sets date for voting

Advocacy for the Reserved Seats for Women Bill has reached a decisive stage as campaigners ramp up engagements ahead of the National Assembly’s vote on constitution amendment soon.

Supporters of the proposal describe it as a historic opportunity to correct Nigeria’s entrenched gender imbalance and strengthen democratic inclusion.

The bill, one of the most closely watched items in the current review, seeks to create additional, time-bound legislative seats at federal and state levels exclusively for women.

At a roundtable on countdown to the vote on the Special Seats Bill organised by the Policy and Legislative Advocacy Centre (PLAC), with the support of the European Union, Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim, described the forthcoming vote as a defining moment for Nigeria’s democracy, arguing that women’s experiences were essential for effective governance.

The EU Deputy Ambassador, Zissimos Vergos, said the bill aligned with modern democratic standards.

“The 21st Century will be the century of youths, of global action and of women’s inclusion,” he said.

Similarly, the UK Deputy High Commissioner, Gill Lever, stressed that the bill, if passed, would “correct imbalance without taking away from men.”

Also, Chairman of the House Committee on Women Affairs, Hon. Kafilat Ogbara, said mobilisation efforts were ongoing at multiple levels of government.

“We are counting votes and collecting signatures,” she disclosed, urging citizens and the civil society to maintain advocacy beyond the vote to ensure implementation.

In her remarks during a workshop organised for members of the House of Representatives Press Corps, Chief Osasu Igbinedion Ogwuche, Chief Executive of the TOS Foundation and convener of the Reserved Seats for Women Bill Campaign Coalition, said the initiative spoke directly to Nigeria’s aspirations for equity and national progress.

“We can’t call ourselves the giant of Africa and be performing so poorly when it comes to women in government,” she said.

Nigerians can now invest ₦2.5 million on premium domains and profit about ₦17-₦25 million. All earnings paid in US Dollars. Rather than wonder, click here to find out how it works.

Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.