2027: Gender Group demands passage of Bill seeking special Seats for Women
2 min read
By Chris Ochayi
Ahead of the 2027 general election, a group under auspices of group Women in Politics has urged the National Assembly to pass the bill seeking to reserve Special Seats for women which is before it.
The group said it will hold politicians and parliamentarians responsible if the bill is not passed into law.
The group decried the poor representation of women in government and parliament, adding that women need to be encouraged to participate in governance.
The National President of Women in Politics, Bar Ebere Ifendu stated this at a Stakeholders summit in Abuja at the weekend, with the theme ” Attaining 35 Percent affirmative Action towards strengthening Agency for Political Leadership”
Mrs Ifendu, urged women to come out and participate in politics and stop endorsing men , saying that it’s time for the government to take the 35 percent affirmative action seriously.
Speaking with journalists , organisers of the summit and Executive Director, Ark and Rainbow Development Foundation , Bar Ifenla Oligbinde said the summit was put together to create awareness and ganar support for women participation in politics and decision making, regretting that women are left behind in policy making and participation.
Barr. Oligbinde noted that what the women in Nigeria needed is support system and not necessarily resources to participate in politics, saying that women need to be supported by the stakeholders and political gate keepers to succeed in politics
She noted that the passage of the bill seeking to reserve Special Seats for women will enhance the participation of women in politics and policy making.
“What we needed first is the support system and not necessarily resources , women need to be recommended and supported”
“Today’s gathering is both historic and timely. Historic, because it brings together key actors and stakeholders at a moment when the conversation on gender equity in governance has reached a critical peak. Timely, because as Nigeria prepares for 2027 elections, we must ensure that women are not only included, but fully empowered to contribute their leadership, vision and resilience to national development.
For decades, women in Nigeria have been the backbone of community building, peace processes, and national development. Yet, when it comes to political leadership, their voices are underrepresented, their contributions undervalued, and their aspirations mostly unmet.
The 35% Affirmative Action is not merely a political demand—it is a constitutional imperative and recognition of women’s right to sit at the table where decisions are made, to shape policies that affect their lives. Evidence across the world shows that societies that embrace women’s participation in leadership record greater stability, deeper inclusivity, and stronger economic growth”
