YOUTH IN PARLIAMENT BACK WOMEN’S RESERVED SEATS BILL
By: Safiya Abdulrahim Dabban
The House of Representatives Committee on Youths in Parliament has pledged full support for the Constitution Alteration Bill seeking special seats for women in the National and State Assemblies.
Committee Chairman, Rep. Olamijuwonlo Alao-Akala, made this known in Abuja during a stakeholders’ interactive session organized by the Legislative Advocacy Committee on the Reserved Seat for Women Bill.
Alao-Akala said the committee would work tirelessly to ensure the bill’s passage, stressing that it aims to promote inclusiveness, good governance, and national development. He explained that the bill would not affect current legislative positions but rather enhance women’s participation in politics.
Stakeholders, led by Mrs. Ene Obi of the Ene Obi Centre for Development, applauded the House for backing the initiative, noting that it mirrors the spirit of the Not Too Young To Run Act.
Also speaking, Ms. Yeside Olasimbo, Special Assistant to the Speaker on Women Affairs, and Rep. Kafilat Ogbara, Chair of the Women Affairs Committee, described the move as timely and crucial for gender equality.
Ogbara emphasized that the proposed 108 reserved seats for women would boost representation, strengthen democracy, and advance Nigeria’s global image.