NASS Reserved Seats Bill: Kogi Women Seek More Assembly Slots

The proposed legislation by the National Assembly to reserve 74 seats for women in the Senate and House of Representatives, alongside three seats in each State House of Assembly, has continued to generate debate in Kogi State, with stakeholders expressing divergent views on the proposed affirmative action.

While some stakeholders consider the proposed three seats for women in each state assembly inadequate, given the population of women and their active participation in political activities, others see it as a welcome development and a good starting point towards addressing gender imbalance in political representation.

The Kogi State House of Assembly currently has two female lawmakers: Mrs Omotayo Adeleye-Ishaya, representing Ijumu State Constituency, and Mrs Comfort Egwaba Nwuchola, representing Ibaji State Constituency.

Nwuchola, who is the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, described the proposal as an improvement on the existing situation, noting that increasing the number of female lawmakers from two to three would be a positive step.

“Having three female members in the House will certainly be an improvement. We currently have two. If each senatorial district can produce one each, it will be good,” she said.

Similarly, Adeleye-Ishaya welcomed the proposal, urging stakeholders to ensure that the legislative initiative is pursued to its logical conclusion.

She expressed support for the proposed affirmative action, saying it would create more opportunities for women to participate in lawmaking and contribute to governance.

A review of the history of the Kogi State House of Assembly shows that since its inauguration in 1992, the legislature has had only three female members at different times, with none serving alongside another until the current Assembly.

The presence of two female lawmakers in the current Assembly, therefore, represents the first time the state legislature has had two women serving simultaneously.

However, a female lawyer in the state, Barrister Lilian Okolo, believes that the proposed three seats fall short of what women deserve. She is advocating for 12 seats, representing one-third of the 36-member Assembly.

“I’m soliciting 12 female members for the State Assembly. It will make a lot of sense if we can have 12 female members, which will represent one-third of the total number of 36 members,” she said.

Okolo, however, acknowledged that the proposed three reserved seats could serve as a starting point, despite her reservations about the number.

“Even though it is small, we can start from there,” she added.

The debate has once again brought the issue of women’s political representation to the forefront in Kogi State, with stakeholders calling for measures that would provide women with greater access to elective positions and decision-making platforms.