By Mercy Aikoye
A coalition of women groups has organized a peaceful protest at the National Assembly, calling for the passage of the Women Reserved Seats Bill.
The bill seeks to alter the Constitution to provide for seat reservation for women in the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly.
The Women Reserved Seats Bill is one of the 44 prioritised constitution alteration bills awaiting final voting by the National Assembly. It intends to remedy the low representation of women in Legislative Houses by providing for special constituencies to be contested and filled by women.
Ene Obi, former Convener of the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, applauded lawmakers over the progress of the proposed legislation.
“A vote for a woman is a vote for life. Women are the hope of life,” she said.
Obi urged members of the National Assembly to hasten the passage of the bill to give women the opportunity to contest for the seats to be created by the legislation in the 2027 general election.
“We are calling on the members of the National Assembly to come here and address us,” she said.
The representative of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Rahila Dauda, called on the National Assembly to pass the bill to save Nigeria the shame of poor female representation in the legislative and other arms of government.
“The time is now, please and please National Assembly join us and make history to pass this bill,” she said.
Lois Auta called for 5% reservation of special seats for women with disabilities and girls as provided for in the Disability Act. “We want 5% reservation of special seats for women with disabilities and girls. It is time that we move from exclusion to inclusion,” she said.
The women staged a peaceful protest, emphasizing their commitment to non-violence. “We are quite orderly. We don’t fight to go into that house because they have allowed us before,” Obi said.
