The National Assembly has proposed the creation of 74 extra seats solely for ladies within the Senate and House of Representatives as a part of ongoing efforts to extend ladies’s illustration in Nigeria’s political and governance constructions.
The Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, disclosed this on Monday, saying the National Assembly Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution had proposed 37 extra seats every for ladies within the Senate and House of Representatives.
Bamidele, who can also be the Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, additional revealed that the committee had proposed three extra seats reserved for ladies in every State House of Assembly.
He made the disclosure on the 2026 Law Week organised by the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Ekiti State Chapter, the place he mentioned the proposals had been designed to strengthen ladies’s participation in political management and decision-making.
The programme, chaired by Mrs (*74*) Olowoyo-Richards, was held beneath the theme, “Justice in a Changing World: Responding to New Challenges Affecting Women and Children.”
Bamidele attended the occasion alongside the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Information and National Orientation, Hon. Steve Fatoba, and the Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adeoye Aribasoye, amongst different dignitaries.
Speaking on the occasion, the Senate Leader mentioned a invoice searching for to amend the 1999 Constitution to offer particular seats for ladies within the National and State Houses of Assembly was receiving consideration on the National Assembly.
He defined that the proposed association would give every state of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) one extra feminine consultant in each the Senate and House of Representatives.
According to him, the proposal adopted in depth consultations and consensus-building to make sure that the constitutional modification course of was deliberate, inclusive and complete.
“The proposal, as it stands, is meticulous in its design. It seeks to add 37 seats in the Senate and 37 seats in the House of Representatives,” he mentioned.
On illustration on the state stage, Bamidele mentioned the committee had additionally proposed three extra seats for ladies in every State House of Assembly with out displacing any present electoral seats.
He defined that the proposed association would stay in operation for 16 years, masking 4 electoral cycles, earlier than a complete evaluation.
Describing the 16-year provision as a sundown clause, Bamidele mentioned it was supposed to make sure sustainability whereas permitting an inclusive political tradition to develop organically.
He added that the National Assembly was partaking State Houses of Assembly, whose concurrence is constitutionally required for the proposed modification to turn out to be legislation.
The Senate Leader maintained that the initiative was not a partisan enterprise however a constitutional reform aimed toward addressing the persistent underrepresentation of ladies in political decision-making.
He argued {that a} democracy that excludes a big proportion of its inhabitants from choices affecting their future dangers undermining the rules of consultant governance.
Bamidele additionally acknowledged the advocacy of key authorities figures, together with the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, in strengthening the dedication of the tenth National Assembly to ladies’s political inclusion.
Beyond political illustration, he highlighted legislative efforts to enhance healthcare supply, instructional alternatives and social safety programmes concentrating on ladies, youngsters and individuals with disabilities.
On the safety of ladies and youngsters, the Senate Leader referred to as for stronger authorized and institutional responses to rising threats, together with home violence, baby abuse and different types of exploitation.
He confused that justice should transcend constitutional provisions and statutory ensures to turn out to be accessible, reasonably priced, well timed and efficient.
“A woman who suffers domestic violence must be able to seek protection without intimidation or social condemnation. A child who experiences abuse must be heard, protected from further harm, and provided with appropriate support,” he mentioned.
He additional emphasised the necessity to make sure that victims of abuse have entry to authorized help, medical care and psychosocial help, whereas perpetrators are held accountable in accordance with due course of and the rule of legislation.
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