Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chike Olemgbe, has assured stakeholders that the House will give favourable consideration to a bill seeking to reserve three additional seats for women in the state legislature. Olemgbe gave the assurance on Monday, August 3, 2026, when the Imo State chapter of the League of Women Voters of Nigeria paid an advocacy visit to members of the Assembly, urging support for the proposed legislation. He told the delegation that if the bill is presented before the 10th Assembly during its tenure, it would receive positive legislative attention, stressing the need to support women to contribute their quota to the development of the state.
The Speaker recalled that Governor Hope Uzodimma had supported the emergence of four female candidates of the All Progressives Congress, who may join the Assembly in the 11th House. His remarks came amid growing advocacy for the Reserved Seats for Women Bill, a proposed constitutional amendment in Nigeria designed to address the severe underrepresentation of women in legislative bodies by creating additional, exclusive seats for female candidates.
Speaking during the group's one-day state-level electoral college meeting with lawmakers, a former member of the Assembly, Uju Onwudiwe, said there was a need to reserve three seats for women, with one drawn from each of Imo State's three senatorial districts. She stressed that the campaign was not intended to displace men from elective offices. "We cannot achieve anything as women without the support of the men. The women need a space to discuss issues concerning them," Onwudiwe said.
According to her, the bill, which is the first in the constitution amendment town hall meeting, is aimed at promoting participation of women in political decision-making in the state. She explained that the proposal seeks to create three additional seats in the House of Assembly, increasing the number of lawmakers from 27 to 30. "The special seats offer three extra seats for the House of Assembly, so that instead of having 27 lawmakers, Imo Assembly will now have a 30-member House. It will go through an electoral college model that brings stakeholders together for decision-making," she said.
Also speaking, Mrs Ogechi Ikeh, who represented the National President of the League of Women Voters of Nigeria, Mrs Irene Awunah-Ikyegh, urged the Speaker and members of the House to support the proposed legislation to enable women to participate more actively in decision-making. "There's a need to bring women with capacity, integrity and competence into the corridors of power for contributions on matters that concern them and to bring a balance to national growth," Ikeh said.
The Reserved Seats for Women Bill, also known as House Bill 1349, is a proposed constitutional amendment designed to improve women's representation in Nigeria's National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly. Nigeria currently has one of the lowest rates of female political representation in the world, with women holding less than four per cent of legislative seats in some states. The campaign for reserved seats has gained momentum in recent months, with civil society organisations and women's rights groups intensifying advocacy efforts across the country.
The Speaker's commitment comes at a time when Imo State, like many other states in Nigeria, has no female representation in its legislature. The 10th Assembly, inaugurated in 2023, has no woman among its 27 members, highlighting the persistent structural barriers that continue to limit women's access to political office. Olemgbe's pledge to support the bill has been welcomed by women's rights advocates, who see it as a significant step towards addressing the gender imbalance in the state's political leadership.
The highlight of the visit was the signing of a pledge form that commits and supports the collaboration of the members of the House and their local government chairmen, according to the electoral college model, on the passage of the bill by the approval of the Speaker. As the advocacy campaign continues, the Speaker's assurance has raised hopes that the bill may finally receive the legislative attention it deserves, paving the way for greater inclusion of women in Imo State's political decision-making process.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments