◾As Igwe Obosi backs advocacy
◾Admonishes women not to sacrifice family for politics
A Civil Society organisation – Social and Integral Development Centre, (SIDEC), is pushing for additional 108 seats that the various legislative houses across the nation.
The group disclosed this during an advocacy visit to the Chairman, Anambra State Traditional Rulers Council and traditional ruler of Obosi, Igwe Chidubem Iweka as part of implementation of Project IMPACT – Inclusive Mobilization for Participation, Advocacy, and Civic Transformation.
The Executive Director of SIDEC, Ugochi Ehiahuruike, disclosed that the proposed bill aims to amend the Nigerian Constitution to reserve seats for women in the National and State Houses of Assembly.
She said: “the bill seeks to address the significant under-representation of women in the legislature.
“Currently, we have only four women in the Senate, 16 in the House of Representatives, 55 women in all the state houses of assembly across the country.
“We are proposing additional 37 Senate seats for women (1 per state + FCT), 37 House of Reps seats for women (1 per state + FCT) and 3 State House of Assembly seats for women per state (1 per senatorial district).
“In all, we are demanding 108 reserved seats for women. Apart from the reserved seats, women are free to contest other offices with their male counterparts.
“Rationale behind the clamour is that it increases women’s representation in governance and promotes gender equality and inclusivity.
“This has been experimented successfully in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Tanzania”, she revealed.
Ehiahurike stressed that when passed, the bill will enhance decision-making with diverse perspectives, address women’s concerns and needs and encourage women’s participation in politics.
“Reserved seats complement existing seats, not a replacement. Women candidates will contest and be voted for by the electorate. No superior/inferior status conferred on occupants of new seats
“We need two-thirds majority in House of Reps and Senate and two-third majority in at least 24 State Houses of Assembly.
“This is where we need the support and buy in of our traditional rulers because they are royal fathers to all legislators who will be needed to vote when the time comes”, she stated.
Responding, Igwe Iweka commended SIDEC and other organizations championing the cause of special seats for women in legislative chambers in Nigeria.
“This is a just cause because women are underrated, undermined and under-used especially in Africa because of our existing cultural norms.
“These days when things are going haywire, I think women will do well if given the chances. Women are needed to salvage the situation.
“Women would do well if given the chances. For fairness, women should be given more chances”, he said.
Igwe Iweka who is the Chairman of Anambra Council of Traditional Rulers, cautioned women not to sacrifice the interest of their children and families in pursuance of political relevance.
“The society is fast disintegrating and women are the pillars of home. I do not want them to sacrifice their homes for politics.
“For women whose children are grown and adult, they only have their husbands to worry about.
“I don’t see anything wrong in women occupying any elective position,” he concluded.
SIDEC is implementing the project in collaboration with the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room with funding support from UK FCDO.
Project IMPACT being implemented in Anambra and Imo states aims to achieve inclusive electoral and governance systems where both male and female, youths and persons with disabilities are given equal opportunity to occupy elective public offices.
