By Jane Okafor, Abuja
A proposed constitutional amendment seeking to boost women’s political participation in Nigeria could create 157 additional elective seats reserved exclusively for women across the National Assembly and the 36 state Houses of Assembly.
The bill, described as a temporary affirmative-action measure aimed at promoting inclusive governance, proposes sweeping changes to Nigeria’s legislative structure through the introduction of special seats to be filled via indirect elections supervised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Under the proposal, the Senate would gain 12 additional seats reserved for women — two from each of the country’s six geo-political zones. The House of Representatives would expand from 360 to 397 members through the creation of one extra seat for women in each of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
At the state level, each House of Assembly would receive three additional seats reserved for women, with one seat allocated per senatorial district. This would result in the creation of 108 new seats across state legislatures nationwide.
In total, the constitutional amendment seeks to establish 157 new legislative positions exclusively for female candidates.
The new seats would not be filled through direct elections by voters. Instead, lawmakers occupying the positions would emerge through Electoral Colleges to be constituted in every state and the FCT, according to SaharaReporters.
Members of the Electoral Colleges would include elected local government chairpersons, vice-chairpersons, councillors, members of state Houses of Assembly, House of Representatives members and senators from the respective states. In the FCT, Area Council officials would serve in place of local government representatives.
Each Electoral College member would cast one vote through secret balloting in elections supervised by INEC.
The bill also provides that only women sponsored by registered political parties would be eligible to contest for the special seats, provided they meet all constitutional qualifications required for legislative office holders.
Despite emerging through indirect elections, holders of the special seats would enjoy the same rights, privileges, immunities and tenure as lawmakers elected through conventional constituency-based polls.
The proposal further introduces a distinct recall process for the reserved-seat lawmakers. Under the mechanism, at least half of members of the relevant Electoral College must sign a petition to initiate a recall process, while two-thirds must support the recall in a secret ballot after verification by INEC.
The amendment would also alter several constitutional provisions relating to recall procedures, election petitions, constituency delineation, electoral timelines and INEC’s powers.
In addition, the bill seeks to formally recognise Nigeria’s six geo-political zones in the Constitution while introducing new definitions for terms such as “additional special seat” and “electoral college.”
According to the explanatory memorandum accompanying the bill, the measure is intended to address the persistent underrepresentation of women in Nigeria’s political institutions through a temporary special arrangement.
If passed, the new system would take effect from the first general election following the amendment’s enactment and would remain subject to review after 16 years.
