Women groups in Borno State are calling on the government to implement dedicated political seats for women at both state and federal levels, in a bold push for gender-inclusive governance.
The demand was made on Thursday during a consultative meeting in Maiduguri, organized by the Women Political Participation Working Group ahead of the Zonal Public Hearing on the 1999 Constitution review.
Chairperson of the group, Aisha Abubakar, said a bill proposing reserved seats for women is ready and will be formally presented at the hearing. According to her, the goal is to level the playing field for women in politics by creating opportunities where they can compete more confidently and fairly.
“Contesting alongside men has been a challenge due to political, social, and economic barriers,” Abubakar explained. “With this bill, new seats will be specially designated for women candidates.”
She cited an example from Borno State, where the current House of Assembly has 28 members across 27 Local Government Areas. Under the proposed bill, additional seats would be created and reserved for women, including an extra senatorial seat raising the total from three to four.
Speaking at the event, Umar Dan’Assabe, Senior Programme Manager for Elections at Kimpact Development Initiative, emphasized the urgency and national relevance of the bill.
“This initiative comes at a critical time,” he said. “Since 1999, women’s political representation has declined significantly. Out of 109 seats in the Nigerian Senate, only four are currently held by women. That’s unacceptable, especially when women make up nearly 47.5% of the country’s voting population.”
Dan’Assabe noted that if passed, the bill would grant women one reserved seat in the Senate, one in the House of Representatives, and three in the Borno State House of Assembly.
The Director of Women Affairs and Gender at the Borno State Ministry of Women Affairs, Falmata Lawan, welcomed the move and reaffirmed the government’s support for increased female participation in governance.
The bill represents a major step forward for advocates of gender equality, who hope constitutional reforms will pave the way for lasting change in Nigeria’s political landscape.
