ZLP calls for accelerated action on reservation of seats for Women in Parliaments
By Samuel Luka,
Bauchi
The National Assembly have been called upon to, as a matter of urgency, accelerate action towards passage into law, the bill seeking reservation of seat for women elected into Nigeria’s parliament.
Mrs Chinyere Oge-Kalu, National Woman Leader of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) stated this in a statement made available to Journalists on Saturday through the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Khalid Arewa.
The Party which joined millions of Nigerians to celebrate the 2025 International Women’s Day with the theme; “For All Women and Girls: Rights, Equality, Empowerment,” urged Women to ensure active participation in politics in order to contribute to the development of the country.
The party also added its voice to demands for end to discrimination and violence against Women and Girls.
It stressed that the IWD is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.
The ZLP further called to action for accelerating women’s rights, equality and empowerment.
The first International Women’s Day started in 1911 and has been sustained to forge gender parity, raise awareness about discrimination and violence against women and girls, and urgent need to empower them to maximise their potentials, thus contribute in nation building.
According to the ZLP, “This year’s International Women’s Day marks 30 years of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. It is unfortunate that after 30 years of subscribing to the Beijing Declaration in 1995, governments at all levels in Nigeria are yet to allocate the basic 30% seats for women in elective and appointive positions.”
The ZLP observed that the Beijing declaration has necessitated the ongoing bill in the National Assembly for the reservation of special seats for women in Parliaments.
The Party urged the National Assembly to expedite action on the crucial bill and pass it this year opining that, “It will be a giant step forward in advancing women’s participation in politics.”
“It is time for action. It is time to empower women and girls, and end discrimination and violence against them”, the ZLP said.
“We are supporting a bill to reserve seats for women in Parliaments as being sponsored by Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu”, the woman leader added.
She noted that it was time to accelerate gender equality for all women and girls, saying it is time to run inclusive government and respect women’s rights.
According to her, it is high time to make Nigeria great again by involving more women in leadership positions .