Women advocacy groups have visited the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to rally support for the Reserved Seats Bill.
The visit was to engage INEC on the Reserved Seat Bill and INEC’s critical role in its successful implementation.
Speaking, Executive Director, Women in Politics Forum (WIPF) , Barrister Ebere Ifendu said the visit was an advocacy, also intended to seek support for the Reserved Seats Bill
“…I’m aware that INEC also presented, some electoral reform bills to be amended before the National Assembly. So we’re also saying that it’s also, good for INEC to speak on this, to say we support the special seats bill.”
She said it was time to ensure more women participate in politics, though this model of affirmative action, already adopted in over 40 African countries.
“There’s always a kind of affirmative action to bring women up. So this is why we are here today, to seek your support and your endorsement, and to tell not just us, to tell the National Assembly that INEC will support this bill once it is passed,” she appealed.
Ifendu commended INEC’s gender sensitive, inclusion poilcy and urged the Commission to take it out beyond the establishment.
“We respectfully urge INEC to consider the importance of this bill in promoting gender balance in Nigeria’s legislative bodies, as it plays a critical role in shaping the electoral landscape of Nigeria. We encourage you to support initiatives that enhance women’s political participation and representation,” she advocated.
Responding, INEC National Commissioner for Outreach and Partnership, Professor Kunle Ajayi On behalf of the Chairman of the Commission, commended the women groups for the advocacy visit, welcomed the Reserved Seats idea and pledged the commission’s support.
He stated that INEC was a gender friendly inclusive organisation, with specific gender policies guiding all actions.
” I want to start by saying we support your aspiration.I’ve gone through the letter you sent to us , and I’ve been able to sift out your intentions. Right from the onset, I want to tell you that you are at the best place INEC.INEC is a women friendly organisation. We welcome all collaboration with any organisation that talks about women,”
After inquiry and clarifications on whether the bill would shortchange male representation in the Legislature, Ajayi being convinced that the intent would not jettison inclusive representation declared full support for the Reserved Seats Bill.
“…so there’ll be no controversy at all. That’s a clean one, that’s a clean strategy. Its a good one, as I said we will support you on that,” he said.
He advised the Women groups to carry the Media along to help in the amplification of the Reserved Seats Bill advocacy.
” let’s carry along all the relevant groups like the Committee on Constitutional ammendment , the Committee on INEC Senate , and Committe on INEC House of Representatives, they are all equally important,” he added.
Also the Director International Co-operation and Protocol, Florence Adenike Tadese said ” We will give our total support 100%. When its good for you, its good for us as well”
For her part, the Director of Gender and Inclusivity, Dorothy Bello Lukunuya, commended the Women in Politics Forum, and all the other groups for their work and for formally informing the Commission of the Bill.
She said the commission, as Policy Makers, would look out for the bill and expressed optimism that the bill would be passed because “this time around things are different.”
“…we here in the Commission welcome this idea and we support it. So we believe that with the support internally from INEC and the pressure you are putting on out there, the bill will be passed and when it is passed into law, we in the Commission will not have a problem implementing it because we must implement what the law says,” she said.
INEC’s Role
INEC’s proposed role includes, creating special constituencies across states and the FCT, conducting elections for the new seats during general elections and leading a robust voter education to reflect the expanded ballot process.
Others include maintaining the same eligibility criteria in age, education and party membership but ensuring the seats would be contested by women only.
Reserved Seats Bill Outlook
If passed, the Special Seat Bill will come into effect after the current legislative term and guide the 2027 General Elections.
The Reserved Seats bill seeks to amend Sections 48, 49, 71, 77, 91, and 117 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
It would create 74 new seats in the National Assembly and 108 in the State Houses of Assembly reserved exclusively for women over a period of four election cycles of 16 years in the first instance, sibject to a review.
Statistical Overview
Nigeria’s National Assembly currently ranks 179 out of 183 in women’s representation with 4.05% seats occupied by women.
The Reserved Seats Bill #HB1349 as proposed and advocated for,as part of ongoing Constitution Review, would reserve 74 Federal and 108 State seats for women in the nations legislature.
The Reserved Seat Bill has the transformative potential to close the statistical deficit by increasing women’s representation in governance.
QDuring the advocacy visit , Women in Politics Forum (WIPF) and other Civil Society Organizations were presented with the INEC Gender Policy, a policy document reflecting the Commission’s commitment to inclusivity and gender equity in Nigeria’s electoral processes.
The visit is considered a vital step toward inclusive governance and equitable political representation in Nigeria.
Confidence Okwuchi