The League of Women Voters of Nigeria (NILOWV) has intensified its nationwide campaign for the passage of the special seats bill aimed at increasing women’s representation in Nigeria’s legislative bodies.
The proposed constitutional amendment seeks to reserve additional seats in the National Assembly, one Senate and one House of Representatives seat per State and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for women, to be filled through party-led elections.
The House of Representatives on Tuesday, July 9, passed the Second Reading, the Constitution Alteration Bill to provide Special Seats for women in the National and State Houses of Assembly (HB 1349).
The bill was sponsored by the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu and 12 other members of the House
If passed, the bill would add 74 women to the legislature, 37 Senators and 37 Representatives, in addition to three seats for women per State Houses of Assembly, substantially boosting female participation in governance.
NILOWV, which has been championing women’s political inclusion for nearly three decades, says the measure is long overdue, citing Nigeria’s poor global ranking in gender parity within governance.
“We cannot say we are practicing democracy when over half of the population, women, are structurally excluded from decision-making spaces,” NILOWV National President Irene Awunah-Ikyegh said during a media briefing in Abuja on Monday.
NILOWV is an all-women Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) founded to help women play a larger role in government and public affairs in Nigeria in consonance with the Beijing Declaration and the Platform for Action with a presence across the 36 States and the FCT.
Citing the current legislative structure at the Federal and State levels, with four women occupying seats in the 109-member Senate, as well as a similarly low figure in the House of Representatives and across state legislatures, Awunah-Ikyegh decried the systemic underrepresentation that undermines the principles of democracy and inclusivity.
While correcting seeking negative impressions about the bill, she emphasized that the bill does not confer automatic appointments, as candidates will still undergo primaries and general elections, only that they will contest within their parties exclusively against other women for the reserved seats.
She also maintained that the special seat bill is a temporary measure designed to redress historical imbalances and strengthen participatory democracy.
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“The provision will lapse after four election cycles, or 16 years, allowing women to compete on an equal footing in a more equitable political environment.
“The bill is not a women’s bill, it is a democracy-restoring bill. It is about giving capable Nigerian women the chance to be heard and to lead,” she added.
NILOWV also dismissed claims that the bill promotes discrimination, arguing instead that it creates fairness in a political system that heavily favours men through access to money, patronage networks, and influence.
According to Awunah-Ikyegh, similar affirmative measures have worked in other African countries, including Rwanda, Kenya, and Tanzania, where women’s representation has significantly improved.
She, however, explained that to avoid a repeat of the 9th Assembly, where five gender-related bills failed due to lack of support and grassroots mobilization, NILOWV is now adopting a new strategy focused on mass public education and rural outreach.
“During the last attempt, much of the advocacy was limited to urban areas. The last time, by the time we reached the grassroots, the public hearings had already begun.
“People had been misinformed that the bill was for Abuja women. Traditional rulers and community leaders knew nothing about it. This time, we are starting early.
“All lawmakers are emotional when it comes to their voters. If voters start asking them, ‘Why are you against this bill that will help our daughters and our wives?’ they will listen.
“We are also training community champions, particularly women and youth leaders, to serve as local advocates.
“These champions will mobilize support, contribute memoranda during public hearings, and engage State Houses of Assembly, whose ratification is essential to the constitutional amendment process.
“Additionally, NILOWV is working closely with religious and traditional leaders to build support from influential voices across communities.
“We believe that their early involvement will help correct misinformation and lend moral weight to the campaign,” she said.
She said it is time to redefine governance, empower women and restore Democratic balance, noting, “Governance is about making life better for everyone. Women bring empathy, social consciousness, and accountability.
“More women in parliament will lead to more socially responsive legislation”.
Evelyn Ugbe, the Chief Executive Director of Race Africa, explained that with support from the United Nations (UN) Women, NILOWV has identified 18 states where resistance to the bill is strongest.
The states, according to Ugbe, have become focal points for targeted engagement and sensitization, “The campaign, branded “Her Seat in Parliament,” spans all 774 local government areas.
“Through town hall meetings, stakeholder dialogues, and the production of simplified bill explanations in local languages, NILOWV hopes to galvanize broad-based public support that will put pressure on lawmakers,” she added.
Chizoba Ogbeche, Vice President of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) and a member of the NILOWV consortium, urged all Nigerians, not just women to support the bill as the National Assembly prepares to hold public hearings in July, emphasizing that increased representation will lead to more inclusive policies in areas such as healthcare, education, and community welfare.