President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas have endorsed the Reserved Seats for Women Bill.
Gatekeepers News reports that the proposal, under debate at the National Public Hearing on Constitution Alteration in Abuja, seeks to amend the 1999 Constitution by allocating additional seats in the National Assembly and state legislatures solely for women.
Represented by Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) George Akume on Monday, President Tinubu stressed the importance of equity in constitutional reforms.
He said, “This process is about restoring Nigerians’ confidence that their voices matter in shaping our democracy. Whatever emerges will be treated with utmost seriousness as part of our collective pursuit of a stronger, more united nation.”
Senate President Akpabio, represented by Deputy Majority Whip Onyekachi Nwaebonyi, emphasised that constitutional changes must reflect inclusivity.
He said, “This hearing gives Nigerians the chance to shape a constitution that truly belongs to the people. Let history show that the 10th National Assembly delivered a representative and inclusive document.”
Speaker Abbas described the Reserved Seats Bill as a critical legal tool to fast-track women’s participation in governance.
He added that the push is about justice, not charity, while also pointing to other reform efforts such as gender quotas in ministerial appointments and stronger legal protections for persons with disabilities.
Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, who chairs the Constitution Review Committee, hailed the initiative as transformative, saying it aims to dismantle entrenched barriers to women’s political participation.
In a landmark show of solidarity, more than one million Nigerian women from across the 36 states and the FCT submitted petitions demanding swift passage of the bill.
Irene Awunah-Ikyegh, President of the League of Women Voters of Nigeria (NILOWV), presented the petitions.
She said, “With just 15 women in the House of Representatives and four in the Senate, our democracy remains incomplete. A guaranteed female senator and representative per state, along with seats in state assemblies, would forever change the political landscape.”
