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UN Women, Stakeholders Strategize on Getting Special Seats Bill Passed to Increase Number of Women Holding Political Positions
UN Women, Stakeholders Strategize on Getting Special Seats Bill Passed to Increase Number of Women Holding Political Positions
By: Michael Mike
Key stakeholders, including United Nations
(UN) Women and Women Political Participation Partners Working Group are fine-tunning plans and drumming support for the passage of Special Seats Bill currently before the National Assembly.
Speaking on Wednesday in Abuja at the Strategy Convening on Special Seats Bill – Opportunities and Challenges: Options for State and Grassroot Advocacy Positioning Citizens for Nation-Wide Conversation, Ms Beatrice Eyong, UN Women Country Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, explained that the Special Seats Bill, seeks to address the under-representation of women in leadership positions.
She explained that the Bill, when passed into law, would be a major boost in enhancing women’s voice and representation in the country’s leadership and in the legislative agenda.
The intention of the bill is to create special seats for women as a temporary but necessary corrective measure, and its
passage is expected not only to strengthen the presence of women in national and state legislatures but also set a precedent for inclusive governance that reflects the diversity of Nigeria’s population.
The bill has been designed to suit Nigeria’s political and electoral context providing for seat reservations (women-only seats) because only women compete for such reserved seats, and they do not displace male elites contrary to popular belief among the political elite.
The bill also seek to amend sections 48, 49 and 91 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to create 74 seats in the National Assembly and 108 seats in the States Houses of Assembly (altogether) bringing the total number of seats to 182 seats in the Legislative arm of government.
In the current National Assembly, Eyong decried that women only occupy 3% of the seats in the Senate and 3.9% of the seats in the House of Representatives.
She revealed that UN Women has built strategic partnerships to garner support for the Special Seats Bill across the country.
She said: “UN Women has built strategic partnerships that are already yielding important advocacy results in terms of support for the Special Seats Bill across the country.
“15 Radio Stations and two TV Stations are hosting weekly programmes on the Special Seats Bill.
“The campaign is also being catalysed through newspapers and different media platforms.
“Further, UN Women will support the convening of 120 townhalls across 24 states to give citizens the opportunity to interact with the Bill and prepare memoranda to be submitted to the National Assembly Joint Committee on Constitutional Reform during their state-level and zonal public hearings.
“This will be supported by over 500,000 physical endorsements of the Bill in the 24 states.
“This great campaign is made possible courtesy, the Governments of Canada and the United Kingdom. We salute these two governments in their resolute to walk this journey with the Nigerian women.”
In her welcome address, the Chair, Women Political Participation Partners Working Group, Barrister Ebere Ifendu, explained that the intent of the “bill is to provide for a temporary specific measure to fast-track women’s political participation in Nigeria, the seats will be tenured for a specific amount of years and may be reviewed by the National Assembly.”
She pointed out that the meeting was convened to assess the opportunities and challenges surrounding the bill, refine strategies for national and grassroots advocacy, and to coordinate efforts to ensure the bill gains the support it needs in both houses of the National Assembly and across at least 24 State Houses of Assembly.
She added that. “The next few months (from May to August 2025) will be decisive. They demand from us a united voice, strategic action, and fervent commitment.
“We must engage our representatives in the National Assembly, mobilise citizens, raise critical awareness, amplify grassroots support, coordinate efforts and ensure that women, including young women and women with disabilities, are not just participants, but leaders in shaping the future of our democracy.”
UN Women, Stakeholders Strategize on Getting Special Seats Bill Passed to Increase Number of Women Holding Political Positions
Police arrest vandals targeting solar infrastructure in Abuja
By: Zagazola Makama
Operatives of the FCT Police Command have arrested two suspects involved in the vandalism of solar poles and lights in Abuja.
Zagazola gathered that on Aug. 17 at about 2:30 a.m., a Jabi Division patrol intercepted vandals at Kado axis damaging solar poles, cables, and lights. Upon sighting the police vehicle, the suspects attempted to flee into nearby bushes and flower gardens.
Two suspects were apprehended during the operation: Emmanuel Danladi, 22, of Gwarinpa, and Muhammed Hassan, 23, of Life Camp. Recovered from them were four solar light poles, one solar light, an iron shovel, two iron cutters, and two melter saws.
The suspects confessed to their involvement in the vandalism and provided information on their accomplices and receivers of the stolen items. Investigation is ongoing.
End
Three women arrested for alleged human trafficking in Enugu
By: Zagazola Makama
Enugu State Police Command has arrested three women suspected to be involved in human trafficking.
According to sources, on Aug. 16 at about 7:30 p.m., operatives raided a black spot at 9th Mile following intelligence reports.
The suspects, Chisom Onyia, 23, of Udi LGA; Chinasa Ugwuodo, 23, of Udenu LGA; and Faith Ajula, 23, of Oguta LGA in Imo State, were all reportedly pregnant and allegedly recruited by a woman known as Nwanyi Ngwo for the purpose of selling their children after delivery.
The sources said the case has been transferred to the OC Gender/Human Trafficking at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for discreet investigation.
End
Bauchi Polytechnic students protest after 20 armed robbers raid campus hostel
By: Zagazola Makama
Armed robbers on Monday at about 4am invaded male students’ hostels at the Federal Polytechnic Bauchi, dispossessing occupants of mobile phones and valuables, and stabbing two students in the process.
The attack, which took place in the early hours of Monday, occurred within the Gwalameji campus of the institution, located about four kilometres from the city centre.
Eyewitnesses told Zagazola Makama that the robbers, numbering between 15 and 20, broke into several hostel rooms and threatened students with weapons, including knives.
“They moved from room to room, collecting phones, laptops and money. Two students who resisted were stabbed before the attackers fled,” said a student who requested anonymity for security reasons.
Zagazola gathered that the incident sparked outrage among students, who later blocked the Bauchi–Dass highway near the school gate to protest what they described as recurring security lapses on campus.
The protest was dispersed by security operatives using teargas, while the institution’s management promptly suspended academic activities and ordered students to vacate the campus within two hours.
Troops of the 33 Artillery Brigade, police, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel were deployed to restore order.
Bauchi State Commissioner of Police, who visited the campus, addressed the students and assured them that efforts were underway to apprehend the perpetrators and strengthen campus security.
A security source told Zagazola that the targeted attack on male hostels point to the gaps in intelligence and emergency response, particularly given the proximity of the school to the state capital.
“The robbers operated for some time without interruption, which suggests that security patrols and outposts in the area need to be more proactive, especially since Gwalameji has a history of criminal incidents,” the source said.
The students, citing lack of security personnel, poor medical facilities and other welfare issues, staged a protest after being addressed by school officials.
Following a tip-off later in the day, police arrested three suspects, Mansur Yakubu, also known as Chasu; Abbas Auwal, 20; and Musa Bala, 20, alias Babannani all of Lushi area, Bauchi.
The suspects confessed to the crime and named their accomplices, identified as Kalifa Danboda of Birshin Gandu, and others known as Dady, Soja, Baki, and Sunusi, alias “Ba Su Aikin Allah,” who are currently at large.
Authorities says efforts are intensified to apprehend the remaining suspects.
Bauchi Polytechnic students protest after 20 armed robbers raid campus hostel
Police arrest vandals targeting solar infrastructure in Abuja
Three women arrested for alleged human trafficking in Enugu
Bandits loyal to Bello Turji kill several, abduct dozens in Sokoto communities despite peace negotiations claims
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