BY JULIET EKWENUGO
Kaduna
The Kaduna State Chapter of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) has thrown its weight behind the proposed Special Seats Bill (HB1349), calling on lawmakers at the National Assembly to support its passage in the interest of equity and inclusive governance.
In a press statement issued on Monday and jointly signed by its chairperson, Sahura Jibril Maidoki, and secretary, Hadiza Bello Abdullahi, the association declared its support for the nationwide push for constitutional reforms aimed at securing greater political representation for women across the country.
The association expressed solidarity with Nigerian women who gathered at the National Assembly of Nigeria to demand structural reforms that would address what it described as decades of systemic exclusion of women from governance and decision-making spaces.
According to the body, the demand for special seats for women is not merely symbolic but a strategic intervention aimed at correcting historical imbalances in political representation across the country.
NAWOJ Kaduna noted that Nigeria cannot claim to be advancing democratically while women, who make up nearly half of the population, remain significantly underrepresented in elective offices.
The association maintained that women have consistently demonstrated competence and resilience across various sectors of national life, yet political institutions have failed to reflect this capacity in leadership structures.
It argued that the Special Seats Bill provides a practical and workable framework to bridge the representation gap and strengthen inclusive governance in the country.
The group specifically called on members of the National Assembly representing Kaduna State to vote in favour of the bill, stressing that supporting the legislation would promote equity and deepen democratic progress.
NAWOJ Kaduna also urged the Kaduna State House of Assembly to publicly endorse efforts aimed at expanding women’s political participation within the state and beyond.
In addition, the association appealed to political parties, civil society organisations, professional bodies and community leaders to lend visible and vocal support to the proposed reform, describing inclusive governance as essential for improved accountability and policy responsiveness.
While reaffirming its commitment to sustained media advocacy and stakeholder mobilisation, the association described the current moment as a defining one for Nigeria’s democracy, insisting that the era of incremental gestures had passed and that structural inclusion of women in leadership must begin without further delay.
