Abuja: Founder, TOS Foundation, Mrs Osasu Igbinedion-Ogwuche, has called on President Bola Tinubu to endorse the Reserved Seats for Women Bill anytime it is passed by the National Assembly. Igbinedion-Ogwuche also urged the Wife of the President, Oluremi Tinubu, to support the bill.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the call was made in a statement issued in Abuja by the foundation’s Communications Office. Igbinedion-Ogwuche, a lead advocate for the bill, emphasized the importance of the endorsement from Nigeria’s first family as the bill approaches a decisive vote in the national assembly. She expressed confidence that the support from President Tinubu and the First Lady would not only be a testament to their understanding of Nigeria’s democratic future but also inspire confidence across political lines.
Osasu Igbinedion-Ogwuche stated, “This bill is not about sentiment. It is about justice. It is about re-balancing a system that has kept women at the margins for too long through structures that exclude, parties that sideline, and voices that intimidate.” She further explained that the initiative is a strategic and constitutional effort to build power for women in Nigerian politics, addressing a systemic lack of representation.
The Reserved Seats for Women Bill is described as a constitutional innovation aimed at correcting Nigeria’s longstanding gender imbalance in governance. It proposes the creation of additional seats in the Senate and House of Representatives, and three seats in every state House of Assembly, totaling 182 time-bound, women-only seats across federal and state legislatures.
Currently, Nigerian women hold just 3.7 per cent of senate seats and 4.2 per cent in the house of representatives, placing the country at 178th in global rankings. In stark contrast, Rwanda leads with over 61 per cent female parliamentary representation, while Senegal, Uganda, and South Africa have all surpassed 30 per cent female inclusion through affirmative legislation.