The Speaker of the Katsina State House of Assembly, Nasiru Daura, has thrown his weight behind the expedited passage of the Special Seats for Women Bill.
Daura made this known on Thursday when hundreds of women stormed the state House of Assembly complex to demand support for the bill.
The women’s groups, led by the Chairperson of the International Federation of Women Lawyers, also known as FIDA, Baraka Suleiman, presented a petition to the Speaker, urging the Assembly to support the passage of the bill.
In the petition dated March 23, 2025, the group described the proposed legislation as an urgent and necessary step towards improving women’s participation in governance across Nigeria.
The petitioners argued that although women make up nearly half of Nigeria’s population and contribute significantly to the country’s social, economic, and political development, they remain grossly underrepresented in elective positions.
According to the petition, “women’s representation in the National Assembly, State Houses of Assembly, and local government councils remains below five per cent, making Nigeria one of the lowest-ranked countries in Africa in terms of women’s political inclusion.”
Credit: Esha Aliku
The group noted that the proposed Special Seats for Women Bill seeks to create additional seats for women in both the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly.
They added that “similar systems have been adopted in countries such as Rwanda, South Africa, Kenya, and Uganda to improve women’s representation in politics.
“Similar constitutional amendment bills were considered by the 9th and 10th National Assemblies but failed to secure the required constitutional majority,” they added.
They urged the Speaker to mobilise his colleagues to ensure the bill secures the two-thirds majority required for passage.
The group further called on lawmakers to reject any attempt to delay, weaken, or postpone consideration of the bill.
“The proposed legislation aligns with Nigeria’s international obligations under agreements such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and the Maputo Protocol.
“Greater female representation in governance could lead to improved outcomes in healthcare, education, community development, and poverty reduction.
“A parliament that reflects the demographic composition of the country would be more responsive, accountable, and legitimate,” Suleiman said.
Earlier, the women were at the office of the Chairman of the House Committee on Women Affairs, Ali Abu Albaba, appealing to him to use his influence to persuade other lawmakers to support the bill, advocate for an emergency sitting on the matter, and vote in its favour when it is presented on the floor of the House.
Responding, Daura commended the role of women in nation-building and assured the groups that the House would give the matter the necessary attention.
“I will ensure that your petition is properly considered and, by the grace of God, I will make sure the Special Seats for Women Bill scales through for Governor Dikko Umaru Radda’s assent soon.
“Women are nation builders and we must do all we can for their success,” he said.
Speaking in an interview, the Katsina State Chairperson of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, Hannatu Mohammad, described the petition as timely in view of the underrepresentation of women, especially in the legislative arm of government.
“This is timely because women are underrepresented, especially in the legislative arm of government. We are urging the House to, as a matter of urgency, treat our petition with utmost priority,” Mohammad said.
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