36,000 Bauchi Women Rally for Passage of Reserved Seats Bill

No fewer than 36,000 women in Bauchi State have thrown their weight behind the proposed Reserved Seats Bill, urging the National Assembly to expedite its passage to promote women’s inclusion in governance and political representation across Nigeria.

The women, under the aegis of the Nigerian League of Women Voters (NILOWV), submitted a petition containing their signatures to the House of Representatives in support of the bill.

Speaking in Bauchi on Monday, the Chairperson of NILOWV in the state, Hajiya Zainab Mohammed, said the campaign was part of ongoing efforts to ensure equitable representation for women in elective and appointive positions.

According to her, the organisation embarked on a series of awareness and sensitisation programmes across the state, aimed at educating communities on the importance of women’s participation in governance at all levels.

“We conducted town hall meetings, advocacy visits, and community dialogues to raise awareness about women’s participation in politics.

The clarion call made an impact, as many men and youths have also endorsed our demand for reserved seats,” Mohammed stated.

She added that NILOWV members actively participated in the public hearings organised by the National Assembly on the bill, where they presented the collated signatures as evidence of broad-based support from Bauchi citizens.

Mohammed commended the responsiveness of communities and local leaders who, she said, now recognise that “women’s representation is not just a gender issue, but a national development priority.”

The Reserved Seats Bill, currently before the National Assembly, seeks to amend the Constitution to allocate a certain percentage of legislative seats at both the federal and state levels exclusively for women.

Advocates of the bill argue that the measure will correct historical imbalances and enable Nigeria to meet global standards on gender equality in politics, as prescribed by the Beijing Declaration and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

If passed, the bill is expected to mark a significant milestone in Nigeria’s democratic journey, ensuring that women have a stronger voice in shaping policies and decisions that affect their lives and communities.