Nigeria's House of Reps Pushes for Inclusive Representation with New Bill

The Nigerian House of Representatives has taken a significant step towards enhancing political inclusivity by proposing a bill to amend the 1999 Constitution.

This bill, titled "Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) (Six Special Seats for Special Interest Groups) Bill, 2024 (HB.1811)," aims to increase the number of representatives from 360 to 366.

The additional six seats are specifically reserved for women and persons with disabilities (PWDs), addressing the underrepresentation of these groups in the legislative process.

Sponsored by House Spokesman Akintunde Rotimi from Ekiti-APC, the bill proposes that these special seats be distributed evenly across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

This ensures that each region will have one representative from both women and PWDs, thereby promoting broader representation.

The election process for these seats is designed to be inclusive, involving an electoral college made up of members from national associations of each special group, with input from grassroots and regional levels.

Rotimi emphasized the importance of this initiative, stating, "The inclusion of these special seats will ensure that the voices of underrepresented groups are heard at the national level, creating a more balanced and inclusive legislative framework for Nigeria."