The House of Representatives Committee on Youths in Parliament has pledged to champion the advocacy of the Constitution Alteration Bill to provide Special Seats for Women in the National and State Houses of Assembly.

The Chairman of the committee, Hon Olamijuwonlo Alao-Akala, stated this yesterday while addressing journalists after the sideline of an interactive session at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja.

The reserved seat for women in parliament bill seeks to create a total of 108 additional seats in the National and State Houses of Assembly to be contested for by women across the country.

In his welcome address, the chairman of the panel informed that his committee has endorsed the bill and will do everything within its powers to ensure the bill is passed.

“So, I am happy that the goal was given to me. I am going to take it head on, I am going to ensure that every stone will be turned to ensure that we go into the bill and ensure that every layman can understand the clauses and also accept it.

“A lot of people that do not understand the bill, they feel the bill is going to affect the current position of the legislature, but it is not going to affect it,” the lawmaker said.

Earlier, the stakeholders led by the Executive Director of Ene Obi Centre for Development, Ene Obi commended the House of Representatives for initiating the bill.

She said that the stakeholders are excited at the decision of the committee to champion campaign for the bill having benefited from the Not-too-young-to-run Act.

“So, we are doing the same thing now to get the special seats bill passed; it is for our children to also contest and come into the parliament. What we have right now is a male parliament across board and so we are, we are really excited that they have endorsed it, we are also excited by the promise by the Senate President who said the 10th assembly will not throw women’s bill out now,” she said.

Speaking during the interactive session, the Special Assistant to the Speaker on Women Affairs, Yeside Olasimbo, explained that the endorsement and resolution to champion campaign for the bill was the right step in the right direction.

“They have endorsed the bill today, and I think it is the right step; they are taking this head on and saying that they are going to join us in the advocacy to lobby members and also assist us by reducing the stress of having to meet all 360 members at once. I am super excited and elated that they open their hands to us, this is a beautiful moment for Nigerian women,” she said.

On her address, the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Women Affairs, Hon. Kafilat Ogbara, informed that the time is ripe for Nigeria to take a bold step toward gender inclusion by passing the Constitution Alteration Bill seeking special reserved seats for women in the National and State Houses of Assembly.

Ogbara further explained that while the historical trajectory of women’s representation in politics has been discouraging, there is now strong political will across the executive and legislative arms of government to make a change.

“The historical trajectory has been a tragedy, but we are very positive and optimistic because the time we have is now. For a bill like this to pass, what we need most is political will—and we have that. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a gender-sensitive leader. He is the only president who has allowed his wife to contest the Senate seat three times, and today, she is a senator herself. The Vice President is a lawmaker, and so is the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. These are people who understand the value of what this bill represents,” Ogbara said.

The lawmaker said the bill is not just about gender parity but about enhancing Nigeria’s democratic credibility and ensuring that the nation speaks with a balanced voice in global affairs.

Ogbara commended Speaker Abbas Tajudeen for his commitment to ensuring that the bill gets the necessary legislative attention, describing his leadership as progressive and inclusive.