Laraba MUREY
Nigerian women leaders, civil society advocates, and stakeholders have appealed to the National Assembly to pass the Special Seats Bill, which seeks to guarantee minimum female representation in both National and State Assemblies.
Speaking during the “Countdown to the Vote on the Special Seats Bill” stakeholders’ roundtable on Thursday in Abuja, Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, described the gathering as “a defining moment in Nigeria’s democratic journey.”
She commended the leadership of the 10th National Assembly, particularly the Rt. Honourable Speaker, Dr. Tajudeen Abbas, for fostering dialogue and collaboration.
Highlighting the stark underrepresentation of women in governance, Sulaiman-Ibrahim said, “Nigeria is home to over 104 million women, yet only 21 serve in the National Assembly four in the Senate and 17 in the House of Representatives. At the state level, just 48 of 991 legislators are women, and in 13 states, women’s perspectives are entirely absent from critical decision-making processes.”
The Minister emphasized that this gap was not due to a lack of competence but structural and systemic barriers that have persisted for decades.
She described the Special Seats Bill as “a constitutional mechanism to gradually correct historical imbalances by creating time-bound additional seats for women, ensuring broader participation and enhancing the inclusivity and legitimacy of our democracy.”
She further stressed the importance of women’s perspectives in policymaking:
“In issues directly affecting women such as menstrual hygiene management, maternal health, and gender-sensitive policiescan men alone fully understand the challenges, nuances, and effective solutions? While men are important allies, it is the presence of qualified women at the table that ensures policies are informed, practical, and effective.”
Sulaiman-Ibrahim also praised the leadership of President Bola Tinubu and First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for their commitment to inclusive governance, adding that Nigeria now has the opportunity to emulate other African democracies like Rwanda, Senegal, Uganda, and Tanzania, which have successfully implemented similar frameworks.
“Let this Bill stand as a testament to our collective commitment to equality and a meaningful Christmas gift to the women of Nigeria as 2025 draws to a close,” Sulaiman-Ibrahim said.
Also speaking, President of the National Women Leaders Forum, Amina Daresemi, warned against watered-down proposals that limit representation.
She said, “For 65 years, women have waited for inclusion in governance. The time to act is now. Proposed compromises, like limiting one senator per geopolitical zone, are insufficient. We are advocating for meaningful inclusion that reflects the voices of half of Nigeria’s population.”
Daresemi highlighted the need for urgency: “If about 45 percent of the voices of Nigerian women have been silenced in key decision-making processes, how do we deepen our democracy? How do we strengthen governance? We appeal to lawmakers: seize this historic opportunity and write your names in gold.”
The forum also cited comparisons with other African nations. While Rwanda leads with nearly 64% female parliamentary representation, South Africa has 44.7%, and Senegal 41.2%, Nigeria lags at only 4.2% at the National Assembly and 5.5% at the state level.
Concluding the roundtable, speakers emphasized that inclusive governance requires collaboration across all sectors and is not the responsibility of women alone. They agreed that passing the Special Seats Bill would not only ensure justice and equity but also strengthen Nigeria’s democracy and reflect the diversity of its population.
Other national women leaders, including Dame Pauline Tallon, Princess Adekemi (Accord Party), and Helen Ado (Youth Party), echoed these sentiments, urging governors, traditional rulers, civil society, and the media to support the bill and raise awareness.
