Honourable Kafilat Adetola Ogbara, the House of Representatives member representing Kosofe Federal Constituency, is leading the campaign for the proposed Reserved Seats for Women Bill, HB 1349. As the Chairman of the House Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development, Ogbara aims to create dedicated legislative seats for women to address the structural imbalance in politics. Her advocacy for women's inclusion has been ongoing for over 20 years, dating back to her university days.
The Reserved Seats for Women Bill, HB 1349, was sponsored by Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, with Ogbara as a co-sponsor. The bill proposes one seat for women per state in the Senate and House of Representatives. Ogbara also has her own bill, HB 1421, which requests two women in every state and one senator. However, she has put her bill on hold to support HB 1349, which is considered more realistic and achievable. The bill was brought to the floor for second reading about two years ago, and Ogbara has been actively building legislative and public support since then.
The proposed bill is a temporary corrective measure to address the structural imbalance of women's representation in politics. For decades, women have been underrepresented in Nigerian politics. The advocacy for women's inclusion started with past women leaders who fought for women's emancipation and voices to be heard. The bill has a structural plan of about 16 years for review, aiming to create space for women to participate, represent, build political experience, and enable a more inclusive system.
According to Ogbara, the government will be investing in national development by including women in politics. When women win political space, Nigeria wins a broader, stronger, and more representative democracy. The current system is undemocratic, as women's absence in leadership positions means the next generation of girls do not see themselves in Nigeria's future leadership. The bill seeks to correct this imbalance and strengthen democracy.
If passed, the bill will allocate one special seat for a woman in each state in the Senate, in addition to the existing three elected senators. This will result in 37 women in the Senate. For the House of Representatives, the bill proposes one woman per state for special seats, not limiting women's ability to contest conventional seats. In state Houses of Assembly, three special seat members will be allocated per state, one from each senatorial district.
Ogbara emphasizes that the special seats do not discriminate against women or make them lesser persons in the National Assembly. The rights, powers, and privileges of special seat members will be the same as those of conventional members. Women from every political party will contest the special seats, increasing women's representation in politics.
The bill's passage is expected to increase women's participation and representation in Nigerian politics. With the advocacy campaign at a high level, the bill has undergone a public hearing. If successful, it will bring about a more inclusive and representative democracy in Nigeria.
Key points
- The Reserved Seats for Women Bill, HB 1349, aims to allocate special seats for women in the Senate, House of Representatives, and state Houses of Assembly to address the imbalance of women's representation in politics.
- The bill's proposer, Honourable Kafilat Adetola Ogbara, has been advocating for women's inclusion in politics for over 20 years.
- The proposed bill has a structural plan of about 16 years for review, aiming to create a more inclusive system and strengthen democracy in Nigeria.
