By Nelly Amarachi Uzegbu
Women advocacy groups in Imo State on Tuesday intensified their campaign for increased political representation, presenting a petition calling for the reservation of special parliamentary seats for women across the State’s 10 Federal Constituencies
The coordinated advocacy was led by the Nigeria League of Women Voters (NILOWV), Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Nigeria Council for Women Societies (NCWS), Association of Women in Trade and Agriculture, Retired Nigerian Army Officers’ Wives Association, Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN), Women in Politics Forum (WIPF), alongside other civil society organisations.
Presenting the petition on behalf of the coalition, the State Coordinator of NILOWV, Dr Mrs Nnenna Aladum-Oguama emphasised the urgent need for the National Assembly to adopt affirmative measures to address the underrepresentation of women in elective positions. She Stated that this is a decisive Moment with Respect to the Bill at the floor of the House of Representative!
The Nigerian Women represented by the array of Civil Society organizations in Nigeria are presenting the letter of petition to the Honourable Members representing Imo State at the federal House of Representative humbly urging on them to do the needful , pass the Special Sit Bill accordingly.
She called for the immediate passage of the #HB1349 Special Seats for Women Bill, describing it as a critical legislative instrument to promote equity and inclusive governance.
Dr Mrs Nnenna Aladum Esq clarified that the campaign was not a protest but a strategic advocacy effort aimed at engaging our dear lawmakers constructively.
“We have visited their homes and constituency offices as their mothers, sisters, and wives, appealing to them to support and pass the Special Seats Bill. That is all we are asking,” she said.
Also speaking, the Chairperson of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Imo State Branch, Chetachi Success Udeh, Esq., noted that the group presented formal communications to members of the House of Representatives, urging them to support the bill currently before the National Assembly.
According to her, the passage of the bill would significantly address the marginalisation of women in governance.
“FIDA is joining other women across Nigeria to demand the passage of this bill,” she stated.
In her remarks, the Vice Chairperson of NAWOJ, Comrade Chizoba Opara, highlighted the indispensable role of women in nation-building.
She noted that women have consistently demonstrated strong leadership capacity across various sectors.
She expressed concern over the absence of female representation in some State Houses of Assembly, including Imo State Legislative House of Assembly, stressing that such gaps hinder effective advocacy for women’s needs and participation in governance.
Comrade Opara called for the swift passage of the bill to ensure inclusiveness, gender balance, and equitable representation in Nigeria’s political system.
