Wife of the Ekiti State Governor, Dr Olayemi Oyebanji, has rallied stakeholders in the state and beyond for the passage of the Reserved Seat for Women Bill in the state and National Assemblies.
The first lady explained that the passage of the bill would help in offering more legislative seats for women in the country towards ensuring sustainable development.
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The governor’s wife who was represented by the Deputy Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Bolaji Egbeyemi-Ayegbaju, spoke in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital during ‘A conference to endorse the Reserved Seat Bill’ organised by Balm in Gilead Foundation for Sustainable Development(BIGIF) in partnership with Ekiti State Ministry of Women Affairs, United Nations Women and the Government of Canada.
The Reserved Seat Bill seeks to amend the 1999 Constitution to provide for the reservation of seats for women in the National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly with a view to remedy the low representation of women in Legislative Houses by providing for special constituencies to be contested and filled by women to promote women’s political representation.
She advised participants which included Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), political parties, media, traditional institutions, women groups, lawmakers, officials of National Orientation Agency, among others, to be deliberate in the advocacy for the passage of the bill.
“We cannot afford to waste this moment, we must all come together towards this very special bill for the reservation of seats for the National Assembly members.
“We must move from advocacy to action. Gender quotas are not a favour, they are rights and a necessity for sustainable development. Let our voices today form a collective force that cannot be ignored. We are here on endorsement, we are here to support the cause of women,” she said.
He commended Governor Biodun Oyebanji for his commitment to the empowerment of women in leadership positions, adding that the inclusion of women in governance has brought good dividends, greater transparency, stronger community engagements, and more inclusive decision-making.
The UN women representative to Nigeria, Ms Beatrice Eyong said that Nigeria should join other African countries and the rest of the world in passing the legislation for women to be adequately represented in the national and state assemblies.
“Development cannot be completed, holistic and sustainable if women are not part of the decision-making processes, especially in the lawmaking aspect,” Eyong said.
Ekiti State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs Peju Babafemi, who expressed the ministry’s gladness to work with BIGIF on the project, said, “Women should be given the desired space in governance.”
Babafemi said the Reserved Seat Bill was necessary to give room to women so that the country could enjoy the benefits.
“Nobody can champion the cause of women like women, we are in a fight that we must win so that women to be given their desired place in the legislative chambers,” she said.
The Executive Director, BIGIF, Oluwatumininu Akerele, said that the gathering was “to advance and endorse the Reserved Seat Bill, a legislative initiative that holds the power to transform our nation’s political landscape.”
The BIGIF boss, who described the Reserved Seat Bill as “a bold legislative tool that promotes this
agenda,” said, “ endorsing this Bill is endorsing justice. It is saying women deserve their rightful place at the table where decisions about their lives are made.
“This Bill seeks to alter the longstanding narrative of exclusion and underrepresentation
that has marred our political system. By reserving seats for women in the national and
state Assemblies, we are not asking for handouts or charity –we are demanding fairness, equity, and a structure that reflects the rich diversity of Nigeria.
“The stark reality is that the continued underrepresentation – and sometimes outright exclusion of women in governance presents a future Nigeria should not and cannot be proud of.
“We must rewrite this narrative. And to do so, we must act collectively, intentionally and urgently. When women lead, communities thrive, and societies blossom. That is the foundation of sustainable democracy. That is what balanced development looks like. That is inclusive governance.”
On his part, the Chairman, Inter-Party Advisory Committee, Daramola Owoola, assured stakeholders that political parties would support the passage of the bill.
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