Governors, Stakeholders Endorse Bill for Women Exclusive Seats
Governors, Stakeholders Endorse Bill for Women Exclusive Seats Stakeholders, including state governors, the Women in Politics Forum (WiPF), and various Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) across Kaduna, Katsina, Kano, and Jigawa, on Saturday expressed their endorsement for the bill aiming to reserve special seats for women in both elective and appointive positions nationwide. In his address, Governor Dikko Rudda of Katsina State, advocating for inclusive governance, reaffirmed his administration's commitment to the unity, stability, and progress of Nigeria. Governor Rudda, represented by his Deputy, declared: “We advocate for the allocation of a minimum of 35% of elective positions to women, promoting gender equilibrium and inclusivity, a policy which the Katsina State Executive Council has already sanctioned by allocating 35% to women in all its support and social empowerment initiatives.
“Youth engagement: The State champions the creation of avenues for youth involvement in governance, ensuring their voices are heard and their interests represented.
“Provisions for the physically challenged: Policies should be crafted to accommodate and address the needs and requirements of the physically challenged in employment, entrepreneurship, and social engagement activities.”
Additionally, Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa State, represented by the Speaker of the Jigawa State House of Assembly, emphasized: “The voices of our traditional rulers, civil society groups, professional bodies, youth and women’s organizations, persons with disabilities, and ordinary citizens must be heard, respected, and reflected in the outcome of this constitutional review.”
He urged all citizens attending the zonal public hearing to participate actively and speak freely, acknowledging that their contributions are vital to building the Nigeria we all aspire to, a nation governed by justice, fairness, and inclusiveness.
During the House of Representatives’ Constitution Review North West Centre public hearing in Kaduna State, WIPF President, Barrister Efere Ifendu, articulated that the memorandum represents the unified stance of female politicians across Nigeria on the Bill, which seeks to provide additional and reserved seats for women in the National and State Houses of Assembly.
She stated: “This position is based on compelling evidence of the persistently low representation of women in Nigeria’s legislative bodies, where women occupy only 3% of Senate seats, 4% of House of Representatives seats, and merely 48 out of 993 seats in State Assemblies nationwide.
“We commend the National Assembly for recognizing this enduring imbalance and initiating a constitutional review process aimed at enhancing women’s representation in governance.
“We are particularly heartened by the introduction of the Special Seats Bill, currently under consideration, which presents a transformative opportunity to advance gender inclusion in Nigerian politics.
“The Bill rightly acknowledges the necessity of Temporary Special Measures (TSMs) to correct gender disparities and create a pathway for full participation of women in governance. Without deliberate measures like reserved seats, women will remain significantly underrepresented in Nigeria’s legislature for generations to come.
“In this regard, WIPF and allied female political stakeholders across the 36 states and FCT unequivocally support the Special Seats Bill and call for its expedited passage. “We endorse the proposed amendments to Sections 48, 49, and 91 of the Constitution to create additional seats for women in the Senate, House of Representatives, and State Assemblies, resulting in 182 new seats for women in the National and State Assemblies.
“That the temporary special measure clause for women’s representation across four electoral cycles of 16 years should be extended to six electoral cycles of 24 years to facilitate a review process. This is predicated on the need to assess progress on women’s representation and favorably increase the improved representation level at the legislative arm of government during the 7th electoral cycle.
“We commend the provision of three additional seats for women per state in State Houses of Assembly and support their retention, as this will ensure representation of women to alter the current narrative where 14 states lack a single female voice in the State Assemblies.”
While urging all the 36 State Houses of Assembly to adopt the amendments, the Forum encouraged President Bola Tinubu to assent to the Bill once passed by the National Assembly. Furthermore, Hon. Rakiya Shonekon, representing Zamani Foundation and other CSOs, submitted five memoranda and signatures collected from respective states.
The CSOs, describing the proposed bill as timely, lauded the House leadership, State Governors, Legislators, Traditional and Religious leaders for prioritizing inclusive governance through the Special Seats Bill, among other bills in the ongoing discourse on the reform of the Nigerian 1999 Constitution.
“The Bill that seeks to amend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, by specifically providing for seat reservations for women in both the National and State Houses of Assembly is crucial because, if enacted, it will set Nigeria on a path of inclusive development and accelerated progress,” she noted.
She highlighted that the Bill has garnered widespread support from various states and has been endorsed in town halls convened in all Senatorial Districts, adding that the gender bill has received endorsement from 34,000 signatures across Kaduna, Jigawa, and Kano States.
