By Nefishetu Yakubu
Director-General of National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Prof Abubakar Sulaiman, has inaugurated the Nigerian Women Legislative Caucus to advance the cause of women.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the inauguration of the caucus was done during a Gala evening to mark this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD).
NAN also reports that the event was organised by NILDS, in partnership with the United Nations Women, on Tuesday in Abuja
In his opening remarks, Sulaiman noted that equity, justice and fairness demanded women’s full inclusion in governance.
He said that democracy lacked legitimacy when decision-making bodies excluded half the population from representation and authority.
“For decades, women’s representation in elected offices remained low despite their central contributions to economic productivity, social welfare and democratic life across the nation.
“Countries like Rwanda demonstrate progress through constitutional gender quotas, achieving over 60 per cent female parliamentary representation.
“Tanzania adopted special parliamentary seats for women, significantly increasing representation and proving that affirmative action accelerates inclusive governance.
“We must move beyond rhetoric and urgently pass the special seat bill before upcoming general elections to secure institutional guarantees for women’s representation,” Sulaiman said.
According to him, the legislative women caucus must ensure that the bill is passed to guarantee women’s right to vote and be voted for.
Setting the agenda and defining the conversations for the Gala, Mrs Ebere Ifendu, the Chairperson, Women Political Participation Working Group, said the special seat bill was critical to increasing women’s representation in government.
Ifendu said that that efforts were ongoing to push it forward, adding that despite the challenges and delays, the bill was essential to enhance women’s participation in governance through collaborations.
“The only agenda on our table now is the special seat for women, and there is uncertainty about when the National Assembly will take action on the bill,” Ifendu said.
She, however, emphasised the urgency of implementing the bill to avoid a regression in women’s political representation, stressing that failure to act would return the situation to its previous inadequate state.
In her goodwill message, the UN Women Country Representative for Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mrs Beatrice Eyong, commended NILDS for taking the lead to celebrate women.
Eyong noted that the 2026 IWD’s theme: “Rights, Justice and Action”, strongly supported legislative advocacy for passing the special seats for women bills in Nigeria.
She stated that the bill aimed to correct the structural gender imbalances and improve women’s representation in Nigeria’s leadership and decision-making institutions.
“The bill is a temporary corrective measure, not a replacement for merit, designed to address women’s historic exclusion from elective and appointive positions.
“UN Women, alongside government, civil society, media and traditional leaders, have mobilised advocacy, reaching millions through campaigns, town halls and radio programmes,” Eyong said.
Also speaking, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery, urged the National Assembly to leave a lasting legacy by prioritising the passage of the bill
Represented by the Deputy Head of UK Development Agency, Graham Gass, Montgomery said that UK would continue to support women and girls’ civic participation, as it remained central to the current foreign policy agenda
Earlier, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, pledged the support of the National Assembly for the bill.
NAN reports that the speaker was represented by the Chairman, House Committee on Women Affairs, Kafilat Ogbara.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
NY/WAS
Edited by ‘Wale Sadeeq
