IPAC Holds Roundtable On Special Seats For Women In Legislatures

The umbrella body of all registered political parties in Nigeria, the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), has held a roundtable on special seats for women in the states and National Assemblies.

The council’s second policy roundtable in collaboration with the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) with the theme; “64 Years Of Independence, Inclusive Democracy and the Options of Special Seats for Women” was held in Abuja yesterday.

The national chairman of IPAC, Yusuf Mamman Dantalle, in his speech, harped on the importance of inclusivity in politics and leadership, noting the declining presence of women in governance at both state and National Assemblies and supported the quest for special seats for women in state and National Assemblies.

He said this was important as the National Assembly was currently reviewing the Constitution and the Electoral Act to amend them and ensure full citizens’ participation in politics, democracy and governance.

“It will also ensure that no voice is left unheard and no person is left behind in the onerous task of building a greater democratic nation. For sustainable democracy, citizens should participate in political processes and represent their interests, concerns and aspirations in decision making,” he said.

He said, “The question is how far have Nigerians gone in fostering inclusive democracy after 64 years of independence and 25 years of unbroken democracy?

“Will inclusive democracy rebuild Nigeria on firm foundations and restore it as the great arsenal of democracy in Africa to deal with grave international issues? Does the current politics of bitterness and bloodshed in the country hinder participatory democracy? Will relevant constitutional amendments boost women’s participation in politics and governance? This conversation will explore this and chart viable options for special seats for women in our democratic system.”

He noted that IPAC had been on the vanguard of advancing women’s political participation and representation, and established a Directorate of Women Affairs among other gender-friendly policies in its national secretariat, Abuja. He said this roundtable is in pursuit of greater women involvement in politics and government, particularly in the national and State House of Assemblies. He added that it was obvious that democracy is dependent on active participation and representation of all citizens in democratic institutions and processes.

“When a section of the society is under-represented in policy discussions, they feel marginalised. This is the case with women who constitute 50% of the nation’s population. Certainly, we cannot consolidate and advance our democracy if half of the population is excluded from the political sphere.

“On September 7, 2023, IPAC participated at a high-level advocacy dialogue to review the charter of demands for women in politics in Calabar, Cross River State, facilitated by the Women in Politics Forum (WIPF).