Constitution review: Uba Sani pushes reserved seats for women, cites Kaduna’s gains

Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, has called for the adoption of the Reserved Seats for Women Bill as part of the ongoing constitutional amendment process, lamenting that women’s participation in Nigerian politics remains far below their population and voting strength.

The governor said women constitute nearly half of Nigeria’s population and a significant share of active voters, yet occupy less than five per cent of legislative seats at the national level.

Uba Sani spoke on Thursday at the flag-off of the North-West zonal campaign for the Reserved Seats for Women Bill, where he described the imbalance as a product of long-standing structural, cultural, economic and institutional barriers rather than a lack of capacity among women.

“This disparity is not a reflection of competence. It is the result of barriers that have persisted for decades,” the governor said.

He noted that the North-West has historically recorded low female participation in elective politics, largely shaped by entrenched social norms, economic constraints and limited access to political networks.

However, he stressed that the situation could change with deliberate institutional reforms, purposeful leadership and the courage of women to step forward.
Uba Sani cited Kaduna State as a model, saying it has emerged as a leading example of women’s political inclusion in Northern Nigeria.

According to him, the state has a female deputy governor, a female member of the House of Assembly who also serves as Majority Leader, the first woman to hold the position in the North-West—as well as a female Head of Service.

He added that Kaduna also has a female elected local government chairman in Jaba Local Government Area, while women head key ministries and agencies, including Health, Business Innovation, Youth Development and Women Affairs.

“These achievements show that women can win elections, head strategic positions and command public trust when given fair opportunities,” the governor said, noting that the milestones were the outcome of deliberate policy choices and inclusive leadership.

Uba Sani recalled that successive administrations, civil society organisations and development partners had made efforts to address women’s under-representation, referencing the Beijing Declaration’s recommendation of at least 30 per cent affirmative action and Nigeria’s National Gender Policy target of 35 per cent.

He explained that the Reserved Seats for Women Bill, currently under constitutional review, aligns with global democratic best practices and seeks to address chronic under-representation through constitutionally guaranteed spaces for women in legislative institutions.

The governor disclosed that the bill proposes the creation of 182 additional seats reserved exclusively for women across the National and State Assemblies.

These include one additional seat per state and the Federal Capital Territory in the Senate, one additional seat per state and the FCT in the House of Representatives, and three additional seats per state in the State Houses of Assembly, one for each senatorial district.

He stressed that the proposal does not replace existing seats but expands representation, ensuring inclusion without exclusion.

According to him, the bill is designed as a temporary intervention spanning four election cycles or 16 years, after which it will be reviewed.

Uba Sani cited countries such as Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe as examples where similar mechanisms have produced positive outcomes.

In her remarks, the APC National Women Leader, Dr Mary Alile Idele, expressed concern over the steady decline in women’s representation in the National Assembly from 2003 to 2023.

She noted that women held about seven per cent of legislative seats in 2003, a figure that dropped to about six per cent in 2007 and stagnated around seven per cent in 2011, before falling further in subsequent elections.

“By 2019 and again in 2023, women held fewer than five per cent of seats in the National Assembly, one of the lowest rates globally,” she said.

Dr Idele described the trend as a wake-up call, arguing that a democracy where half of the population holds less than five per cent of political representation is operating below its full potential.

She said the Reserved Seats for Women Bill would guarantee constitutionally protected political space for women, strengthen democratic inclusion and national stability, and enrich policy-making through diverse perspectives.

Dr Idele commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises inclusive growth, gender empowerment and national unity, describing the proposed legislation as an investment in Nigeria’s future rather than a favour to women.