Abuja – The House of Representatives has proposed the reservation of 82 seats in the National Assembly—55 in the House and 27 in the Senate—for women and persons with disabilities (PWDs), as part of the ongoing constitutional amendment process.
Speaker of the House, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, announced the plan on Tuesday during the 2nd Legislative Open Week in Abuja. He said the initiative aims to promote inclusive governance by allocating 10% of legislative seats to women and 5% to persons with disabilities.
“These seats will be filled through direct elections conducted on separate ballots,” Abbas explained. “Nominations for PWD seats will be facilitated by accredited advocacy organisations.”
He described the move as a corrective measure to address the long-standing gender imbalance in Nigeria’s political landscape.
“At independence, women held less than 1% of parliamentary seats. Decades later, the figure has barely changed,” Abbas noted, referencing countries like Rwanda and Senegal that have successfully implemented quotas to improve representation.
The House is currently considering 109 constitutional amendment bills, including proposals on electoral reform, judicial efficiency, and fiscal accountability.
Abbas further disclosed that the 10th Assembly has introduced 2,263 bills so far, with 55 already signed into law. These include landmark legislation such as the Student Loan Act and amendments to the Electricity Act.
On public engagement, he revealed that 621 citizen petitions had been submitted—of which 24 have been resolved, 30 dismissed, and 567 remain under review.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who also addressed participants, commended the House’s progress and promised the Senate’s support. He noted that a joint legislative open week is in the works and expressed concern over the high turnover of lawmakers, which he said undermines institutional memory.
Former speakers Yakubu Dogara and Patricia Etteh also weighed in, calling on lawmakers to strengthen public participation and remain accountable to the people.
Speaker Abbas concluded by reaffirming the House’s commitment to inclusive, transparent, and responsive lawmaking, pledging continued collaboration with the executive to deliver meaningful reforms for Nigerians.
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