Six months ago, I explored why Nigeria needs Special Legislative Seats for women. Today, as the 10th National Assembly draws closer to voting on the Bill, the stakes could not be higher. The decision is more than a procedural vote; it is a test of whether the Assembly can demonstrate responsiveness and inclusivity at a time when public trust is fragile. From controversies over the transmission of election results to debates on key national policies, the Senate is already under intense scrutiny. Passing the Special Seats Bill would not only expand women’s representation but also signal that the legislature can act decisively to strengthen democracy.
Exclusion hasn’t been without consequences. Historically, Nigerian women weren’t passive observers. They exercised real influence and had recognised rights to shape local trade and governance. The Aba Women’s Riot of 1929 remains a bold response to the dismantling of this system, a fight to reclaim the agency taken away by a rigid, top-down hierarchy.
The Special Seats Bill is the 21st-century version of that access. It guarantees that women are not sidelined but have formal, direct seats in the rooms where decisions about their lives are made. Nigerian women shouldn’t need a crisis or a riot to protect Nigeria’s interests. Supporting Special Seats is not just about gender; it’s about building a democracy that honours the legacy of our foremothers.
If passed, the bill would create an agreed number of additional seats in the National Assembly and across State Houses of Assembly. It is a targeted, temporary intervention designed to complement Nigeria’s existing electoral system, helping to overcome structural barriers in a winner-take-all political landscape.
For a Senate under scrutiny, passing this bill would prove that it can adapt, reform and respond to a changing country. Too often, constitutional review has felt like a show: grand public hearings followed by retreats into old habits. Now, the Senate has a rare chance to set a new tone.
Some political analysts describe opposition as a narrow survival logic. This is the idea that parties must prioritise male candidates to win elections. But the problem is not a lack of capable women; it is a system designed to ignore them.
I remember the Red Chamber in 2016 when the Senate voted down the Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill. If the 10th National Assembly wants to be remembered for more than rhetoric, it should vote to redesign the room itself. Passing the Special Seats Bill would send a message that women’s presence in governance isn’t optional, it’s the standard.
With the 2027 elections on the horizon, lawmakers face a choice to either remain relics of exclusionary politics or become architects of a modern Nigeria. Voting for the Special Seats Bill is the difference between a Senate that merely survives the news cycle and one that defines it.
The post Suzan Aguiyi-Ironsi: Will the 10th Assembly Pass the Special Seats Bill for Women? appeared first on BellaNaija – Showcasing Africa to the world. Read today!.
