By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini
In a significant move towards inclusive governance, the House of Representatives is proposing the creation of 82 reserved seats in the National Assembly specifically for women and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) as part of the ongoing constitutional amendment process.
Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, announced the proposal on Tuesday during the 2nd Legislative Open Week in Abuja.
The plan allocates 55 reserved seats within the House of Representatives and 27 in the Senate.
Under the proposal, 10% of National Assembly seats would be reserved for women and 5% for PWDs.
Abbas stated that the reserved seats for women would be filled through direct elections on separate ballots.
Seats reserved for PWDs would be filled via nominations from accredited advocacy organisations, also through direct elections.
He framed the reform as essential to correct “decades of gender imbalance,” highlighting the stark underrepresentation of women since independence.
“At independence, women held less than 1% of seats. Today, it has barely moved,” Abbas noted, pointing to countries like Rwanda and Senegal as examples where quotas have significantly boosted women’s representation.
The proposal is among 109 constitutional amendment bills currently under consideration by the House.
Other key areas of reform include elections, judicial processes, and fiscal accountability.
Speaker Abbas also provided an overview of the 10th Assembly’s legislative output, revealing that 2,263 bills have been introduced so far, with 55 already signed into law.
Notable enacted legislation includes the Student Loan Act and the amended Electricity Act.
On public engagement, Abbas reported that the House has received 621 citizen petitions.
Of these, 24 have been resolved, 30 dismissed, and 567 remain under consideration.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who also addressed the Open Week, commended the House’s legislative strides and pledged the Senate’s support for collaborative efforts.
He announced plans for a joint National Assembly Open Week and expressed concern over the high turnover rate of legislators, which he said negatively impacts institutional memory.
Former Speakers Yakubu Dogara and Patricia Ette urged current lawmakers to deepen public engagement and uphold accountability.
Speaker Abbas concluded by assuring that the 10th House remains committed to “inclusive and responsive lawmaking” and strengthening collaboration with the executive branch to deliver results for Nigerians.