Governor Sani Advocates for Constitutional Guarantee of Women’s Seats in Legislature

Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has called for constitutional amendments to create reserved legislative seats for women, arguing that their current political participation is disproportionate to their population and electoral influence.

Speaking on Thursday at the launch of the North-West zonal campaign for the Reserved Seats for Women Bill, Governor Sani highlighted that while women make up nearly half of Nigeria’s population and a majority of voters, they occupy less than five per cent of national legislative seats a situation he termed unacceptable for a democracy.

He attributed the low representation, particularly in the North-West, to entrenched social norms, economic barriers, and limited political access. “This disparity is not a reflection of capacity… it is the result of structural, cultural, economic and institutional barriers,” Sani stated.

The governor pointed to Kaduna State as a model of progress, citing the appointment of a female Deputy Governor, a female Majority Leader in the State House of Assembly the first in the region and women leading key ministries and local government roles. “These milestones did not occur by accident. They are the outcome of deliberate choices,” he said.

The proposed bill seeks to create 182 additional reserved seats across the National and State Assemblies, designed as a temporary measure for four election cycles without displacing existing positions. Sani emphasized that the move aligns with Nigeria’s existing commitments to gender inclusion, such as the National Gender Policy.

Also speaking, the APC National Women Leader, Dr. Mary Alile Idele, noted a steady decline in women’s parliamentary representation since 2003. She described the bill as an “investment in Nigeria’s future” that would guarantee political space for women and inspire young girls across the country.