CSOs Kick Against National Assembly's Move to Create 74 Legislative Seats

Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have criticised the move by the National Assembly to create  74 more seats in the legislature.

The bill seeking the creation of 74 seats for women in the federal parliament passed the second reading in the House of Representatives on Tuesday.

The bill, sponsored by Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, and 12 others, seeks to alter sections 48, 49, 71, and 117 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to create one “special seat reserved exclusively for women in the Senate and House of Representatives for each state of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.”

The bill proposes to take effect after the term of the current National Assembly elapses, and is subject to review every 16 years.

The bill also proposes to alter Section 91 of the Constitution to provide for three special seats “reserved exclusively” for women in the state Houses of Assembly.

Leading the debate, the lawmaker representing Lavun/Mokwa/Edati Federal Constituency, Niger State and co-sponsor of the bill, Joshua Gana, said the proposed law would address  the “profound imbalance and the under-representation of women in the National Assembly and at sub-national levels.”

He added that the bill was “anchored on the fundamental principle of equitable representation and aims to empower women by ensuring their voices are not only heard but that they actively contribute to shaping the legislative landscape and the overall development of our nation.”

“The issue of gender equality and representation lies at the heart of our constitutional democracy,” he said.

Gana said, “In the 7th, 8th, and 9th Assemblies, women accounted for only 6.4  per cent, 6.1 per cent, and 2.7 per cent of the Senate, respectively; and 6.4 per cent, 3.05 per cent, and 4.7 per cent of the House of Representatives, respectively.

“These statistics underscore the urgent need for proactive measures to ensure equitable representation and amplify the voices of women in our legislative houses at the national and sub-national levels.

“The rationale behind this amendment is grounded in the principles of fairness and inclusivity.

“Globally, Nigeria lags behind in women’s representation in parliament, ranking among the lowest. Countries that have implemented affirmative action like Rwanda and Andorra, have seen significant strides towards gender equality in governance.”

The Minority Leader of the House, Kingsley Chinda, who supported the bill, stressed that the parliament needed to correct the imbalance.