Founder of SheThePeople Platform, Dr. Mrs Mary Ikoku, has emphasised that the time for decisive, gender-responsive, and transparent reform is now.
She made this assertion while presenting the Memorandum and Position of Emerge Women Development Initiative (EWDI) and Partner Civil Society Organisations (PCSOs) on Priority Electoral Reform in Abuja.
Ikoku appreciated the leadership of the National Assembly and State Governors for prioritising inclusive governance through the Additional/Reserved Seats Bills.
“The bill, if passed, will position Nigeria for accelerated, inclusive development and align the country with other progressive nations advancing gender-balanced governance.
“The bill has received broad endorsement from public consultations, town halls, and thousands of citizens’ signatures nationwide,” she said.
Ikoku urged for the accelerated passage, state adoption, and Presidential assent to the Bill as a national development imperative.
The proposed bill seeks to provide additional seats for women in the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly.
The key recommendations include providing a special constituency structure for women contesting these additional seats and ensuring that the reserved seats take effect after the current National and State Assemblies complete their term.
The provision will last for 16 years, after which it will be reviewed to determine if it should be retained, adjusted, or abolished.
Ikoku emphasised that the bill’s passage will be a significant milestone in Nigeria’s journey towards achieving its development goals.
The memorandum also highlights the need for other critical electoral reforms, including granting citizenship rights to spouses of Nigerian women, promoting women’s inclusion in governance, and guaranteeing indigene status by marriage.
Ikoku urged the National Assembly to pass these bills to promote equality, fairness, and inclusivity in governance.
She said these reforms are historic, strategic, and people-centered measures capable of delivering a truly representative and credible electoral system for Nigeria.
“The time for decisive action is now”, Ikoku said, while calling on the National Assembly to seize this historic opportunity to deliver accelerated passage of the bills.
“The passage of these bills will be a significant step towards promoting gender equality and inclusive governance in Nigeria,” she said.
