Abuja – An interest group, Reserved Seats for Women Bill Campaign Coalition, has called for immediate and decisive legislative action to ensure passage of the bill by the National Assembly.
The Communications Lead of the coalition, Mr Hammed Adejare, made the call in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.
NAN reports that the bill, also known as House Bill 1349, seeks to amend the 1999 Constitution to establish reserved seats for women in both the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly.
It aims to address the under-representation of women in legislative bodies by creating special constituencies exclusively contested by women.
NAN also reports that the bill, if passed by the national assembly and assented to by the president, is expected to serve as a temporary measure to promote women’s political involvement, with a review after four general election cycles to determine its future.
Adejare stated that since the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had officially released the 2027 general election timetable, there was the need for immediate legislative action to ensure the passage of the bill.
According to him, this is critical to securing inclusive political representation in the country.
He noted that Nigeria had continued to record one of the lowest levels of female parliamentary representation globally, with women occupying less than five per cent of seats in the national assembly.
Adejare said this this ‘enduring imbalance’ was not merely statistics, but reflected structural barriers that weakened representative governance and eroded public confidence in democratic institutions.
He described the Reserved Seats for Women bill as a time-bound corrective mechanism designed to operate for an initial period of 16 years.
The communications lead added that the bill would accelerate progress toward balanced representation, while preserving the integrity and competitiveness of Nigeria’s electoral system.
“It is measured, constitutional and aligns with democratic best practice. Women across Nigeria’s 36 states are prepared to contest, lead and serve.
“The question before the nation is whether the 469 lawmakers of the 10th National Assembly are prepared to act with urgency and responsibility to remove systemic barriers that have constrained women’s participation for decades,” he said.
Adejare, therefore, urged the leadership of the national sssembly to prioritise and fast-track the passage of the bill within the remaining legislative timeframe.
He added that Nigeria must not approach the 2027 general elections with the same structural inequities that had long limited women’s full and equal participation in the democratic process.
“The moment for reform is now. The electoral clock is ticking. The publication of the electoral calendar provided clarity for political parties, candidates, institutions and citizens.
“It also underscores a critical reality: the legislative window to conclude consideration of House Bill 1349 and Senate Bill 550.
“The proposed constitutional amendment to establish 182 reserved seats for women across the Senate, the House of Representatives and the State Houses of Assembly is rapidly narrowing,” he said.
