The ‘Reserved Seats for Women Campaign’ is gaining ground following endorsements from first lady Remi Tinubu and other critical stakeholders across the country, says its North-West coordinator, Aisha Yau.
Ms Yau said this while speaking with journalists in Abuja on Thursday. Ms Yau said prominent Nigerians, including Mrs Tinubu, the APC national chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, and ministers, among others, have endorsed the movement, adding that this has deepened its support base.
According to Ms Yau, the massive mobilisation and door-to-door campaign being undertaken in the North-West zonal movement is yielding successes, triggering mass support for the campaign from stakeholders who were hitherto aloof.
The coordinator said the recent rally held by the Reserved Seats for Women zonal campaign in Kaduna drew critical stakeholders from Kano, Jigawa, Kebbi, Zamfara, Sokoto, and Katsina.
Ms Yau, who described women as the backbone of any progressive society, said involving women in legislative processes would go a long way in resolving many challenges affecting society. She said that after the Reserved Seats for Women North-West zonal rally in Kaduna, the door-to-door campaign continued with many engagements with high-profile stakeholders in the polity.
Ms Yau said her delegation also had “an inspiring meeting” with deputy education minister Suwaiba Sa’idu Ahmad.
According to her, our engagement focused on advancing women’s participation in governance, particularly the urgent need to strengthen women’s representation in elective positions across all levels of government.
The Reserved Seats Bill titled, ‘A bill for an act to alter the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to provide for seat reservation for women in the National and State Houses of Assembly; and for related matters’, is now pending before the National Assembly.
It aims to amend seven sections of the 1999 Constitution, expand the Senate and the House of Representatives, and all 36 state assemblies, and mandate the 1999 Constitution, to delineate special women-only constituencies for four election cycles (16 years) before review.
(NAN)