HOR Vote on Women Reserved Seats Bill Set for October – Deputy Speaker Kalu

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Benjamin Kalu, has announced that the House will vote on the Reserved Seats for Women Bill in October, alongside other significant constitutional amendment bills, when plenary resumes.

In a statement issued in Abuja, Mr. Kalu made this known during an engagement with women groups, civil society organisations, and development partners aimed at strengthening advocacy for the bill, which seeks to guarantee special legislative seats for women.

Kalu, who also serves as the Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee, pointed to alarming statistics that underscore the gender disparity in Nigeria’s political representation—women currently occupy only 3.8% of seats in the House of Representatives and hold just four out of the 109 seats in the Senate.

He stressed the importance of sustained advocacy ahead of the lawmakers’ return, urging women’s groups to engage with influential stakeholders, including religious and political leaders, to push for support.

The Deputy Speaker also called on political parties to prioritize women in leadership roles and electoral candidacy, encouraged the media to foster a progressive and inclusive narrative, and appealed to civil society to provide mentorship and backing for aspiring women leaders.