Women Radio calls for passage of special seats bill to increase female political representation

Women Radio 91.7FM has called for the passage of a special seat bill to increase female political representation in Nigeria.

The call comes as the world prepares to mark International Women’s Day (IWD) on March 8.

On July 9, the bill sponsored by Benjamin Kalu, the deputy speaker, and 12 other lawmakers passed the second reading in the house of representatives.

In a statement on Friday, the media house said the bill will address Nigeria’s persistent gender imbalance in political offices.

The organisation noted that the dominance of males in the national assembly, with only four female senators, reveals the “systemic barriers limiting women’s participation in governance”.

The radio station added that the bill proposes to reserve 37 seats for women in the senate, 74 in the house of representatives, and 108 across state assemblies to provide women with greater opportunities to influence policymaking and governance.

“As we commemorate Women’s Month this March, Women Radio 91.7FM is shining a spotlight on the Special Seats Bill, a groundbreaking legislative initiative aimed at addressing Nigeria’s persistent gender imbalance in political representation,” the statement reads.

“The passage of the special seats bill by the 10th senate represents a crucial step toward achieving gender equality in Nigeria.

“As Nigeria forges ahead in its development journey, ensuring women’s representation in leadership is essential to unlocking the nation’s full potential.

“The special seats bill presents a clear solution to bridging the gender gap and shaping a future where Nigerian women have equal access to political power.”

The call for the passage of the bill also comes amidst the controversy between Senate President Godwill Akpabio and Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the senator representing Kogi central, over seating arrangements in the senate, which further escalated and earned the latter a six-month suspension.

Following Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension, there have been calls from different quarters over the gender imbalance in the senate.