National Assembly Speaker Abubakar Mohammed has announced that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu intends to transmit executive bills to the legislature to establish special reserved seats for women and persons with disabilities (PWDs).
The Speaker made the disclosure while addressing members of the National Assembly, confirming that the executive branch is preparing legislative measures to enhance representation for these groups within the federal parliament.
The proposed bills aim to create dedicated positions for women and PWDs, a move that would alter the current composition of the House of Representatives and the Senate by introducing specific quotas for these demographics.
This development signals a significant shift in Nigeria's legislative framework, as the introduction of reserved seats would provide a guaranteed pathway for women and individuals with disabilities to hold federal office, addressing longstanding calls for greater inclusivity in governance.
While the specific details of the bills, such as the number of seats and the selection criteria, were not elaborated upon in the initial announcement, the transmission of the documents to the National Assembly marks the formal beginning of the legislative process.
Members of the National Assembly are expected to review, debate, and potentially amend the bills before they can be passed into law, with the outcome determining the extent of representation for women and PWDs in the next parliamentary term.
<small>Source: Punch Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>