The protesters, under the aegis of Women Political Participation (WPP) noted that delays in passing the bill could undermine women’s representation in the next parliament. The women, carrying various placards called for swift passage of the bill.
Ene Obi, one of the leaders said, “INEC has released elections timetable, we want increased women participation. Men cannot represent women. We want women to represent themselves.”
The proposed legislation, sponsored by Benjamin Kalu, deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, and achieving of the constitution amendment committee alongside 12 other lawmakers, seeks to alter the1999 constitution (as amended) to create one special seat reserved exclusively for women in both the Senate and the House of Representatives for each state of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
Specifically, it proposes the creation of one additional senatorial seat and one additional House seat per state and the FCT to be occupied by women. The bill also seeks to amend Section 91 of the constitution to provide three special seats reserved exclusively for women in each State House of Assembly.
Kalu, had previously assured stakeholders that the bill would be passed in the fourth quarter of 2025. The committee he chairs had initially scheduled October for voting on several constitutional amendment bills, including the reserved seats proposal, but the vote has been postponed several times and is yet to take place.
Even if approved by the National Assembly, the bill faces a rigorous process. Constitutional amendments require the backing of at least two-thirds of the 36 State Houses of Assembly before they can be enacted into law, a threshold that has historically proved difficult to meet.
