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By Gabriel Ameh
ABUJA – President of the National League of Women Voters of Nigeria (NILOWV), Irene Awunah-Ikyegh, has called on members of the National Assembly to support and pass the proposed Special Seats Bill for women, describing the legislation as a landmark opportunity to deepen democracy, strengthen governance and advance national development.
Awunah-Ikyegh made the call while addressing journalists during a solidarity march organized by women groups at the National Assembly complex in Abuja ahead of legislative consideration of the bill.
The rally brought together women leaders, civil society organizations, political advocacy groups and gender rights campaigners who urged lawmakers to vote in favour of the constitutional amendment aimed at increasing women’s representation in Nigeria’s legislative institutions.
Speaking on behalf of NILOWV, Awunah-Ikyegh praised the 10th National Assembly for giving attention to the bill, noting that previous assemblies had failed to secure its passage despite years of advocacy by women across the country.
“The National Assembly has written its name in gold by taking a giant step towards inclusive democracy. There is no better time than now to pass this law. By doing so, Nigeria will be sending a strong message to the world that it is committed to democratic inclusion and sustainable development,” she said.
According to her, countries that embrace inclusive governance tend to experience better development outcomes because public policies are designed to reflect the needs of all citizens.
She argued that greater participation of women in parliament would lead to more responsive legislation, stronger social protection policies and improved attention to issues affecting women, children and vulnerable groups.
“Having women in parliamentary seats means having inclusive policies. Women push for policies that have a human face and address the day-to-day welfare of citizens. Inclusive democracy translates into development,” she stated.
Awunah-Ikyegh said Nigerian women were particularly encouraged by the willingness of the current National Assembly to consider the bill after similar efforts failed in the 7th, 8th and 9th Assemblies.
She expressed confidence that women elected through the proposed seats would bring competence, integrity and innovation to legislative debates.
“Nigerian women are ready. We are going to produce women of integrity, capacity, tenacity and proven leadership pedigree. They will enrich parliamentary discussions and contribute to policies that will move Nigeria forward,” she added.
The NILOWV President further projected that increased female participation in governance would contribute to economic growth, improved security and better welfare outcomes for Nigerians.
Also speaking during the rally, President of the Women in Politics Forum (WIPF), Barrister Ebere Ifendu, described the Special Seats Bill as a transformative piece of legislation capable of changing the political landscape for women in Nigeria.
She explained that the bill seeks to create two additional Senate seats for women from each of the country’s six geopolitical zones, bringing 12 additional women into the Senate.
According to her, the bill also proposes one additional reserved seat for women in the House of Representatives from each of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Ifendu said the proposal would significantly improve female representation in the National Assembly while creating opportunities for more women to actively participate in governance.
“What the bill says is that there will be two women per geopolitical zone in the Senate, giving us 12 additional women senators. It also provides for one woman each from the states in the House of Representatives. This is a major step toward correcting years of underrepresentation,” she said.
She noted that the bill forms part of the broader constitutional amendment process and expressed optimism that lawmakers would support it.
For Ifendu, the legislation represents the culmination of years of advocacy by women’s groups and gender rights organizations.
“This is a special bill. It is a bill that will bring Nigeria back to the global map of countries promoting gender inclusion. We have struggled for this from one National Assembly to another, and today we are hopeful that our efforts will finally yield results,” she stated.
The WIPF President commended the leadership of the National Assembly for listening to the concerns of women and ensuring that the bill was listed for consideration.
She also linked increased female representation to better governance outcomes, arguing that women legislators would be more likely to champion issues such as insecurity, child protection, education, healthcare and social welfare.
“There will be better governance. Issues affecting women, children and communities will receive greater attention. Women understand these challenges because they experience them directly in their homes and communities,” she said.
Adding her voice to the campaign, prominent women’s rights advocate Ene Obi stressed that the demand for the Special Seats Bill was fundamentally about inclusion and fair representation.
She argued that despite constituting nearly half of Nigeria’s population, women remain grossly underrepresented in decision-making positions.
“What we have today is largely a male-dominated parliament. Women vote, participate in campaigns and contribute to national development, but they are not adequately represented where decisions are made. This bill seeks to correct that imbalance,” Obi said.
She rejected suggestions that women elected through reserved seats might compromise legislative independence, insisting that increased female representation would strengthen governance and improve accountability.
According to her, the challenge facing women in politics is not a lack of competence or public support but structural barriers within political parties.
“It is a game of numbers. The more women we have in parliament, the stronger their voices become. Many women who contest elections face obstacles arising from internal party arrangements and political structures that do not favour them,” she explained.
Obi added that the proposed legislation would not only benefit women but also create a more inclusive governance system that considers the interests of young people, persons with disabilities and other marginalized groups.
The protesters said the passage of the Special Seats Bill would represent a historic milestone for Nigeria’s democracy and a significant step toward achieving gender-balanced governance.
They urged lawmakers to seize the opportunity to make history by supporting the bill, insisting that inclusive representation remains essential to building a stronger, more equitable and more prosperous Nigeria.
