…Urges sustained advocacy for women’s inclusion in governance
By Deborah Hassan
365Daily – Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has disclosed that the House will vote on the Reserved Seats for Women Bill and other key constitutional amendments once plenary resumes in October.
Speaking at a Roundtable Reception on the Reserved Seats for Women Bill organised by The Osasu Show (TOS) in collaboration with the Embassy of Switzerland on Monday in Abuja, Kalu, who is the sponsor of the bill, urged women groups and development partners to sustain their advocacy and engagement with stakeholders during the ongoing legislative recess.
“As the sponsor of the Reserved Seats for Women Bill, I want to make this abundantly clear: this bill is not born out of sentiment. It is born out of reason, out of evidence, out of the stubborn facts of our current reality. It is rooted in the belief that justice delayed is democracy denied,” Kalu stated.
Highlighting the gender gap in Nigerian politics, the Deputy Speaker lamented the underrepresentation of women at all levels of government
“Nigeria is a nation of over 220 million people, and nearly half (49.3 percent) of this population are women. And yet, the number of women who sit at the table of power in this country is painfully low. In the current 10th National Assembly, only 19 out of 469 legislators are women – just 3.8 percent.
“In the House of Representatives, there are only 15 women out of 360. In the Senate, only 4 out of 109. Across all 36 states, we have not a single female governor. And in our State Houses of Assembly (out of 991 seats), only 45 are occupied by women. That’s a mere 4.5 percent,” he said.
Kalu emphasised the urgency of mobilising support for the bill before the resumption of plenary, noting that only about 60 days remain.
“Keep the advocacy alive. Keep doing it, keep lobbying, there’s no time. We don’t have time. It’s our desire to vote on these constitutional review provisions once we are back from recess. That’s to show you there’s no time.
“The people you’re talking to must be people who have influence over those that will vote or the voters themselves. So tell your religious leaders, political big players, the wives of the parliamentarians and so on. The language of advocacy should change too. Appeal to them. Reach out to prominent women in this country. Let them come on board. Reach out to influencers,” he urged.
He also affirmed that the bill aligns with the 10th Assembly’s legislative agenda and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, both of which promote equity and justice.
“The 10th House of Representatives, under the purposeful leadership of Speaker Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, GCON, has placed inclusion at the centre of its legislative vision. This commitment aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which anchors national development on equity, justice, and opportunity.
“Through progressive policies and appointments, the President has shown a clear intent to disrupt entrenched norms. The Reserved Seats for Women Bill is a reflection of this shared resolve and the 10th Assembly is proud to be the legislative catalyst advancing it,” Kalu said.
The Deputy Speaker called on political parties to open their structures to women, not only as supporters but as decision-makers and candidates.
“To political parties, reform must begin within. Open your ranks. Prioritise women not merely as supporters, but as candidates and decision-makers. The strength of our democracy depends on the strength of our internal democratic institutions.”
He also appealed to the media to frame the conversation around the bill as a necessary transformation rather than tokenism.
“To the media, shape the national conversation. Tell this story not as tokenism, but as transformation. This bill is not a favour, it is a framework for equity. A nation cannot fly with one wing.”
Calling on Nigerians across all sectors to support the bill, Kalu added: “To the Nigerian people, men and women, young and old, this is your bill. Support it. Speak for it. Stand behind it. Because when women rise, nations do not merely progress, they prosper. When women lead, societies heal.”
He said the Office of the Deputy Speaker remains open to collaborations with development partners, political institutions, and civil society groups to ensure the success of the bill.
“The Office of the Deputy Speaker stands as a convening platform for all committed to gender-responsive governance. We invite collaboration across sectors to co-design advocacy, mobilise communities, and build consensus. We welcome development partners to offer technical insight, policy guidance, and leadership training. We urge political institutions to work with us to institutionalise inclusion,” Kalu concluded.