By The Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Adamawa State Chapter, has intensified calls for the urgent passage of the Special Seats Bill (HB.1349), describing it as critical to improving women’s representation in governance and strengthening Nigeria’s democracy.
The State Chairperson of NAWOJ, Ms. Felicia Dauda, made the call on Monday during a press conference in Yola, aligning the chapter with the nationwide advocacy for the constitutional amendment.
Dauda expressed concern over the low participation of women in the 10th National Assembly of Nigeria, noting that only 21 women currently serve out of 469 members. According to her, the Senate has four female members out of 109, while the House of Representatives has 17 out of 360 — representing approximately 4.2 per cent overall.
At the state level, women make up about 5.5 per cent of State Assembly members nationwide, while 13 states have no female lawmakers at all,” she stated.
She observed that the situation in Adamawa mirrors the national trend, pointing out that all the state’s federal legislative seats — comprising three senators and eight members of the House of Representatives — are currently occupied by men.
Describing the imbalance as a governance challenge, Dauda stressed that women, who constitute nearly half of Nigeria’s population, play vital roles in voting, economic development, and community building.
“Excluding women from decision-making spaces results in incomplete policy outcomes, weakened democratic processes, and slower development,” she said.
She explained that the Special Seats Bill (HB.1349) seeks to create additional legislative seats exclusively for women as a temporary measure to address structural inequality in political representation.
”The Special Seats Bill is a structural bridge to equity. It does not ask for favours but seeks a constitutional correction to an imbalance,” she added.
Dauda recalled that similar gender-focused constitutional amendment proposals failed during the 9th National Assembly and urged stakeholders not to allow history to repeat itself.
She specifically called on members of the National Assembly from Adamawa State to support and vote in favour of the bill. She also appealed to the Adamawa State House of Assembly to endorse the amendment when it is transmitted to states for ratification.
The NAWOJ chairperson further urged media organisations to amplify advocacy efforts aimed at increasing women’s participation in governance.
She expressed optimism that improved representation would not only strengthen democratic processes but also inspire more women in Adamawa and across the country to actively pursue leadership roles.
The advocacy is part of broader national efforts to promote gender inclusion and equitable political participation in Nigeria.
