Abuja: A civil society organization, Reserved Seats for Women Bill Campaign Coalition, has called on the National Assembly to pass the Women Reserved Seats Bill by the end of February to ensure its implementation in the 2027 general elections. Chief Osasu Igbinedion-Ogwuche, the National Convener of the coalition, emphasized this need during a roundtable with media executives in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the bill, sponsored by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Benjamin Kalu, proposes the creation of 74 additional seats for women in the National Assembly and 108 additional seats across the 36 State Houses of Assembly. Igbinedion-Ogwuche, also the CEO of TOS Foundation Africa, warned that failing to pass the bill by next month would derail women’s representation until 2031.
“We know that if this Bill does not sail through by the end of next month, then it cannot be operationalised by the 2027 general elections,” she stated. She highlighted the importance of timely passage of the bill to ensure women can participate in the upcoming elections, asserting that women have repeatedly faced obstacles such as violence, religion, and tradition in political participation.
Igbinedion-Ogwuche clarified that the reserved seats would be open to all registered political parties to sponsor candidates. She pointed out Nigeria’s low ranking in women’s political participation in Africa, where women hold only a fraction of seats in parliament and state assemblies.
Highlighting past failures of similar bills, Igbinedion-Ogwuche noted the current advocacy efforts, including securing support from key political figures such as President Bola Tinubu and the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio. The coalition has also engaged with the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and traditional leaders like the Sultan of Sokoto to garner support.
She underscored the socio-economic benefits of gender inclusion, citing research that suggests including women in decision-making could significantly boost Nigeria’s GDP. The coalition urged the media to maintain focus on the issue to ensure the bill’s passage.
Mr. Kingsley Sintim, Managing Director of TOS Group, reiterated the media’s critical role in advancing public awareness and understanding of the reform. He emphasized the need for unified messaging and leveraging social media to broaden citizen awareness and support for the bill.