Maureen Okpe
The Reserved Seats for Women Bill gained significant traction at the national public hearing on constitutional amendment bills, as over one million Nigerian women submitted signatures backing the proposal, urging the National Assembly to correct decades of gender imbalance in political representation.
The bill, which proposes the creation of additional legislative seats reserved exclusively for women at both federal and state levels, was a key highlight of the hearing on Monday, organized by the House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review.
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, declared that the National Assembly is seriously considering transformative reforms aimed at making governance more inclusive.
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He described the Reserved Seats for Women Bill as a structural correction to systemic exclusion and affirmed that gender balance in government is no longer negotiable.
Kalu said, “We are looking at transformative bills creating reserved seats for women in our legislative environment. This will guarantee gender balance in government appointments.
This is about correcting systemic exclusion that has held our nation back for too long,”
He further stressed that the proposal is not symbolic but a practical constitutional mechanism to ensure that women can participate fully in lawmaking and national development.
Kalu noted, the amendment is part of broader constitutional reforms under consideration by the House, including electoral reforms, devolution of powers, and local government autonomy.
He called on citizens to remain engaged beyond the hearing stage, reminding them that constitutional reform is not a sprint but a marathon.
“The ultimate authority for this process does not reside in the executive or legislature alone it resides with the sovereign people of Nigeria,” he said. “Hold your elected representatives accountable. Engage with your state legislators. Ensure that the reforms you champion today are not diluted or discarded on the long road to enactment.”
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In a strong display of public support, women leaders representing all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory submitted over one million signatures and a memorandum in support of the Reserved Seats Bill.
The signatures were presented by the President of the League of Women Voters of Nigeria (NILOWV), Hon. Irene Awunah-Ikyegh, who described the bill as a legacy opportunity for the 10th National Assembly to etch its name in gold.
She explained that the proposal includes having at least one woman senator per state, one female House of Representatives member per state, and one woman from each of the three senatorial districts in every state house of assembly.
Awunah-Ikyegh emphasized that the bill is not just about numbers but about giving women a rightful place at decision-making tables. “Only 15 women are currently in the House of Reps and four in the Senate out of 109. Our democracy is not a true democracy if it is not inclusive. Passing this bill will ensure that Nigerian women are no longer sidelined in issues that affect their lives,” she said.
Former ActionAid Country Director, Dr. Ene Obi, On behalf of the Women Political Participation- Technical Working Group(WPP-TWG) stressed that Nigerian women are not asking for favours but for fairness.
She said, “Women are dying from maternal mortality and other issues that require their voices to be heard. This bill is about development, about our children, and about the future. We are dialoguing now, but we mean business. All we want is to sit at the table and be part of the decisions.”
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, echoed support for the bill, describing it as a vital legal step to accelerate gender inclusion.
“This is not for pity’s sake but a constitutional mechanism to ensure inclusion,” he said.
Abbas added that the National Assembly is also considering a minimum threshold for women in ministerial appointments and provisions for representation of persons with disabilities at all levels of government.
He assured that the reform process will be completed within a defined timeline, with harmonized positions of both chambers made public before the voting stage. “Reform delayed is reform denied. Nigerians deserve clarity and closure. By acting decisively, we give the states enough time to debate and endorse the will of the people,” he said.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, represented by Onyekachi Nwaebonyi, Deputy Senate Majority Whip acknowledged the historic significance of the hearing, describing it as a necessary step toward giving Nigerians a constitution that truly reflects their aspirations.
He reiterated that the constitution belongs to the people, not just the institutions of government, and encouraged citizens to use this opportunity to shape a more inclusive national framework.
“This constitution is not for the Parliament, the courts, or the Executive, but for the Nigerian people,” Akpabio stated.