Women Reserved Seats Bill gains momentum as protesters rally at National Assembly, urging lawmakers to pass measure before 2027 polls

Scores of women on Monday staged a peaceful rally at the main entrance of the National Assembly, calling on lawmakers to expedite passage of the Women Reserved Seats Bill ahead of the 2027 general election.Senate edopts electronic transmission in electoral bill

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The proposed legislation is among 44 prioritised constitutional amendment bills awaiting final voting by the National Assembly of Nigeria and subsequent approval by state Houses of Assembly.

If passed, the Women Reserved Seats Bill would amend the 1999 Constitution to create special constituencies to be contested exclusively by women in both the Senate, the House of Representatives and state assemblies.

Proponents describe the measure as a temporary but decisive intervention aimed at correcting Nigeria’s persistently low female representation in elective office.

Addressing demonstrators, former convener of the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, Ene Obi, commended lawmakers for progress made so far but urged them not to delay final passage.

“A vote for a woman is a vote for life. Women are the hope of life,” Ene Obi said, stressing that the gathering was a rally rather than a protest.

Ene Obi emphasised that participants had chosen a non-violent approach and were prepared to wait patiently for engagement from lawmakers.

The activist added that timely passage would give political parties and aspiring female candidates sufficient room to prepare for the 2027 polls.

Also speaking, Rahila Dauda, representing the International Federation of Women Lawyers, described the current level of women’s representation in Nigeria’s legislature as deeply troubling.

“It is a shame that a country like Nigeria, where more than half of the population is women, unfortunately, only about four or five are in the Senate and the House of Representatives,” Rahila Dauda said, urging legislators to “make history” by passing the bill.

Another advocate called for explicit inclusion of women and girls with disabilities within the proposed framework.

The speaker argued that the measure should align with provisions of the Disability Act by reserving at least five per cent of the special seats for women with disabilities.

Nigeria has consistently recorded one of the lowest rates of female parliamentary representation on the continent.

In the 10th National Assembly, women occupy only a small fraction of seats in both chambers, a trend that worsened following the 2023 general election.

Previous attempts to advance gender-focused constitutional amendments faltered. In 2022, several gender bills were voted down during constitutional review, prompting nationwide demonstrations under the banner “Women Occupy National Assembly”.

Supporters of the reserved seats model point to countries such as Rwanda, Senegal and South Africa, where quota systems have significantly improved women’s parliamentary representation.

Advocates maintain that without structural reform, entrenched political, financial and cultural barriers will continue to sideline women from elective positions.

Critics, however, have questioned whether constitutionally reserved seats might conflict with principles of open electoral competition.

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For now, campaigners insist that the Women Reserved Seats Bill represents a pivotal opportunity for the legislature to recalibrate Nigeria’s democratic framework before the next electoral cycle.