Political Repression: Stakeholders Advocate For Exclusive Seats For Women
By: Oriaifoh Godwins
People drawn from different walks of life, including Traditional leaders, Civil Society Organisations, Public Servants, the Media, Market Women and artisans, who attended a one day Edo Central Senatorial district Town Hall meeting, organised by the International Federation of Women Lawyers, FIDA Nigeria, Edo state Branch, that held at Emery Vida Hotel, Irrua, Esan Central local government area of Edo state, on Saturday 14th June 2025, unanimously consented to the creation of additional seats exclusively for women in political representations at the state Houses and National Assemblies.
The Edo central Senatorial zone Advocacy/Town Hall meeting, is geared towards building consensus and consolidating memoranda to be presented to Constitutional Reform Committee during public hearings.
In her welcome remarks, Mrs. Eliana Martins, CVP/National President, who was ably represented by Princess Francisca Elema, Chairperson FIDA, Edo, emphasised that the Town hall meeting, is supported by the United Nation's Women, and funded by the Foreign Common Wealth Development Office, FCDO, of the United Kingdom Government; and that, it is being implemented across nine focal states of the federation namely Anambra, Enugu, Edo, Oyo, Kogi, Adamawa, Sokoto, Kano and Jigawa; adding that,
the Reserved Seat for women Bill, is a transformative legislation, designed to create additional seats exclusively for women in the National Assembly and State Houses of Assemblies.
Mrs. Martins said; "...Having passed its second reading in the House of Representatives on the 9th of July 2024, this bill is poised to redefine Nigeria’s legislative landscape".
The proposed amendment, she said, seek to establish one special seat for women in the Senate and House of Representatives per state and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), totaling 74 additional seats at the federal level. It also aims to reserve three seats for women in the State Houses of Assemblies.
She continued by saying; "...this temporary yet transformative measure, effective after the current National Assembly’s term, and subject to review after 16 years, is a strategic intervention to address Nigeria’s alarming global ranking of 178 out of 182 countries, for women’s parliamentary representation".
According to her, the special seats for women that is being advocated for, will mark a bold and historic step towards achieving gender equality and inclusive governance.
Saying; "...through this set of Town hall activities in the state, FIDA Nigeria, aims at strengthening advocacy efforts for the inclusion of exclusive additional special seats for women through strategic partnerships with key state and non-state actors, Increase public awareness and support in advancing women political participation and representation through the constitution amendment process".
Mrs. Martins who used the opportunity to appreciate the UN Women, the FCDO of the United Kingdom government, for their supports, concluded by saying; "...the aim of the advocacy, is to secure 74 additional exclusive special seats for women at the National Assembly and 108 seats at the State Houses of Assembly through Constitutional amendment/review process".
Above, 🖕🖕🖕Chief Chris Igene, who represented the Okaijesan of Esanland, HRH, Alhaji W. O. Momodu II, at the event, in a pose with Princess Francisca Elema Chairperson FIDA Edo State Branch.
At the end of the Town Hall meeting, Chief Chris Igene, who represented the Okaijesan of Esanland at the event, was unanimously nominated to represent Edo Central at the Constitutional Reform Committee sitting that will be coming up later in the year.