By Palma Ileye
Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has called for the speedy passage of the proposed Women’s Special Seats Bill, saying Nigeria cannot afford to continue sidelining women in governance if it hopes to strengthen democracy and accelerate national development.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim made the appeal in a goodwill message delivered on her behalf by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mrs. Asanye Nko Esuabana, during the 2026 National Assembly Open Week in Abuja.
She commended the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, for institutionalising the National Assembly Open Week, describing it as a landmark initiative that promotes transparency, accountability, citizen engagement and democratic governance.
While noting that the presentation of the 10th National Assembly’s scorecard reflects Nigeria’s democratic progress, Sulaiman-Ibrahim stressed that the country’s democratic journey must be strengthened through deliberate policies that guarantee greater inclusion of women in elective offices.
The Minister disclosed that sustained engagements with governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general elections had begun yielding results, with female candidates emerging in states that previously had no female representation, including Imo and Katsina States, while Lagos State again produced a female deputy governorship candidate.
According to her, the developments demonstrate that strong political will, supported by sustained advocacy, can dismantle long-standing barriers to women’s participation in politics.
Reaffirming the Ministry’s commitment to advancing the rights of women, children, families and other vulnerable groups, she pledged continued collaboration with the National Assembly, development partners and civil society organisations to ensure that the constitutional reforms surrounding the Women’s Special Seats Bill deliver lasting national impact.
Addressing concerns over the proposed Electoral College model for the bill, the Minister said although the legislative mechanism had evolved through compromise, the objective of expanding women’s representation remains unchanged.
She explained that the proposal seeks to create 12 additional Senate seats, 37 House of Representatives seats and 108 State House of Assembly seats under a 16-year sunset clause, describing it as a practical and strategic opportunity to reverse decades of women’s underrepresentation in legislative decision-making.
To protect the integrity of the process, Sulaiman-Ibrahim advocated stronger legal safeguards in the Electoral Act to shield the Electoral College from political interference while ensuring that elected female legislators remain accountable to Nigerians.
She also announced plans to revive the Ministry’s Women Political Empowerment Centres across the six geopolitical zones.
According to her, the centres, to be managed in partnership with experienced civil society organisations, will provide leadership development, technical training, mentorship, campaign support and capacity-building programmes for aspiring women leaders across all political parties.
She said the initiative represents a new national approach to women’s political participation that transcends partisan interests and focuses on strengthening democracy and inclusive governance.
“While the mechanism has changed, the mission remains uncompromised. The proposed Women’s Special Seats Bill provides Nigeria with a practical and historic opportunity to end the systemic exclusion of women from legislative decision-making,” the Minister said.
She added that women’s political empowerment was a national development imperative requiring the collective commitment of government, political parties, civil society organisations and all Nigerians.
The Minister congratulated the leadership and members of the 10th National Assembly for their commitment to democratic reforms and urged stakeholders to build national consensus around constitutional amendments that would guarantee inclusive representation and strengthen Nigeria’s democracy.
