The Special Seat Bill,is a bill for special legislative seats for women in Nigeria.
The bill is a response to the low numbers of women in the legislature in Nigeria.
To support the bill ” Her seats in Parliament and Governance Campaign, Ward to Ward organized by the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, NAWOJ Kaduna State Chapter in collaboration with the League of Women Voters of Nigeria, NILOWV Kaduna State Chapter held at the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC Secretariat in Kaduna.
Speaking at the event, Kaduna State Commissioner of Human Services and Social Development, Hajiya Rabi Salisu reinstated the commitment of the state government to continue to protect and support women’s rights for the overall development of the country.
She assured that the state government would continue to give women the necessary support and empowerment to be self reliant.
“I call on women to stand to be given the rights to vote and be voted for, even as the United Nations Security Council 1325, says that women should be included in the decision making, if a woman is not included, the men would not know the pains of the women, but if a woman is included she will be able to decide for her own fellow women”, she said.
Represented by the Deputy Director Gender Affairs in the Ministry, Mrs Lami Usman, the Commissioner emphasized that the ministry would continue to engage women through it sensitization and empowerment programmes for the overall development of communities.
In her Speech, Kaduna State Chairperson League of Women Voters of Nigeria , Barrister Julie Ariahu explained that her Seat in Parliament and Governance, Ward to Ward Campaign is geared towards supporting the seventy-four Special seat bill and thirty-five percent affirmative action across board from local government level to National.
“As we gather today, we mark a significant milestone in our journey towards a more inclusive and equitable society,the league of Women Voters of Nigeria, NILOWV and the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, NAWOJ are proud to launch the Ward 2 Ward Her Seat in Parliament and Governance Campaign across the 774 local government in Nigeria, We find this a golden opportunity to put Nigeria on the rader of inclusive Nations”, she said.
While citing examples of African countries like Rwanda and Tanzania, Mrs Julie maintained that research has shown that special seats in Parliament have been instrumental in increasing women’s representation world wide and called on Nigeria to follow the footsteps of those countries.
The National President of Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, NAWOJ, Comrade Aisha Bura who was represented by the North- West Zonal Secretary, Comrade Daharatu Ahmed Aliyu stressed that NAWOJ has given its full support towards the advocacy for 74 Special seats Bill in Parliament and 35 Percent Affirmative action across Nigeria.
In an addressed a former law maker in the fourth Assembly, Representing Kaura constituency, Comrade Florence Aya said for the past two decades she has gotten minimal outcome of her mentorship for women to be fully involved in politics.
In her speech, Kaduna State Acting Chairperson of NAWOJ, Hajiya Sahura Jibrin Maidoki noted that the Chapter and NILOWV Kaduna State Chapter promised to give the best publicity and sensitization across the twenty- three local government areas of Kaduna State.
Commenting, the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC Chairman Kaduna State Chapter, Comrade Ayuba Magaji Suleiman who pledged total support for the special seats bill and urged women to have faith and be committed in achieving it.
Currently, there are only 4 women Senators and 16 women Representatives in the 469-member National Assembly.
At the States, only about 55 women occupy elective positions in the State Houses of Assembly out of a total of 990 legislative seats.
Also, Fifteen states in Nigeria have no woman in her state Assembly.
This appalling statistic is further highlighted in the Inter parliamentary Union’s, IPU ranking for women in national parliaments where Nigeria occupies a very unimpressive position of 178 out of 182.
A closer look at this index shows that Nigeria sits above only two African countries – Niger Republic and Eritrea.
Niger is currently led by a military government after a coup in July 2023 while Eritrea has not held elections since 1994.
The bill which is reintroduced after been thrown out by the ninth National Assembly, is been sponsored by the Deputy Speaker, Senator Benjamin Kalu and 12 other members of the House.
It proposes the creation of one additional legislative seat to be contested by women only for each State and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT in the Senate and House of Representatives, which would total 74 seats.
It further proposes three special seats for women each at the 36 State Houses of Assembly totalling 108 women only seats.
Going by this obvious fact, many Civil Society Organisations and Non-governmental organizations in the country have taken it upon themselves to sensitize and educate people on the bill.
In a remark the representatives of International Federation of Female Lawyers, National Council of Women Societies, Inter Faith Council, Inter Party Advisory Council, Women Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Multi Door Court House and Jam Iyyar Matan Arewa among others all support the call for the special seats for or women in Parliament and Governance and prayed that the bill would be passed into law for the development of the country.
Cov/Naomi Anzaku Ekele.
