North-West campaign intensifies as bill to boost women’s representation gathers high-level endorsements.
The Reserved Seats for Women Campaign is picking up steam nationwide, following endorsements from Nigeria’s First Lady, Remi Tinubu, and other key political stakeholders.
North-West Coordinator, Amb. Aisha Yau, says the support base has widened significantly, thanks to aggressive mobilisation and door-to-door advocacy across the region. A recent rally in Kaduna drew participants from Kano, Jigawa, Kebbi, Zamfara, Sokoto and Katsina — a sign, she says, that the message is resonating.
The movement has also secured backing from the APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, alongside other party leaders and ministers. According to Yau, recent meetings focused on pushing forward the Reserved Seats for Women Bill currently before the National Assembly.
The proposed legislation seeks to amend parts of the 1999 Constitution to create special seats for women in the National and State Houses of Assembly for four election cycles (16 years), after which it will be reviewed. It would also mandate the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to delineate women-only constituencies.
Yau says expanding women’s participation in governance is key to addressing societal challenges, adding that more stakeholders who were once undecided are now actively engaged.
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