Ondo Women Intensify Advocacy for Reserved Seats Bill, Push for Sustained Action
Women’s groups across Ondo State on Tuesday intensified calls for sustained advocacy towards the passage of the Reserved Seats for Women Bill, stressing that continuous engagement is critical to achieving gender inclusion in Nigeria’s political space.
The groups, led by the Nigeria League of Women Voters, the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS), the International Federation of Female Lawyers (FIDA), the Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN), the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), and the StandUp for Women Society (SWS), as well as female political aspirants, Wazobia Widows Welfare Association among several others, staged a rally at the Ondo State Ministry of Women Affairs, mobilising stakeholders to support the proposed legislation.
Speakers at the event repeatedly underscored that, while awareness of the bill is growing, sustained advocacy remains essential to ensure its eventual passage at the National Assembly.
The Ondo State Chairperson of the International Federation of Female Lawyers, Mrs Bolanle Olafunmiloye, said the mobilisation was part of ongoing efforts to maintain pressure on policymakers and keep the conversation active until concrete legislative action is achieved.
She explained that the Reserved Seats Bill, also known as the Special Seats Bill, seeks to amend the Constitution to create additional seats exclusively for women in the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly.
“This is not about competing with men but about complementing existing structures. However, achieving this requires continuous advocacy. We must not relent until the bill is passed,” she said.
Also speaking, the State President of the National Council of Women Societies, Bishop Mrs Oluseyi Odusola, called for unity among women and urged groups to sustain momentum through coordinated campaigns and engagement with lawmakers.
She noted that consistent advocacy would help dismantle long-standing barriers limiting women’s participation in governance. She emphasised the need for women to continue speaking with one voice, stating that advocacy is not a one-time event but a continuous process until the bill is passed.
A female aspirant for the Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal Constituency, Mrs Olamide Falana, reaffirmed the importance of maintaining pressure on decision-makers, describing the bill as a vital tool for correcting gender imbalance in politics.
She observed the low representation of women in elective offices despite their numerical strength, maintaining that sustained advocacy would ensure Nigeria aligns with global standards on women’s inclusion.
According to her, women have appealed to the National Assembly to pass the bill, urging them to continue advocating, which she said can only be achieved through sustained collective effort.
The rally featured the presentation of petitions by the groups to federal lawmakers from Ondo State, including Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire and Mr Derin Adesida, both of whom pledged their support.
The women maintained that sustained advocacy, strategic engagement, and collective action remain the surest path to securing the passage of the Reserved Seats for Women Bill and advancing inclusive governance in Nigeria.
