Is the move by the national assembly to create 74 more seats in the legislature an escape from actually addressing issues around why women do not participate in electoral processes? It was Robert Greene who said: “without a worthy opponent a man or group cannot grow strong” until women are given the chance to vie for political offices by creating civil politicking environments we are not ready for wholesome and sustainable growth. How many women can withstand all that Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan survived in the hands of her male political opponent? It is worthy to note at this juncture that the bill seeking to create 74 seats specifically reserved for women in the federal parliament passed the second reading in the House of Representatives on Tuesday.
Creating more seats to guarantee women’s participation in legislative affairs is not innovative and lacks creativity. The move to actualise it would be unreasonable especially at a time when Nigeria grapples with unfavourable economic realities and cost of governance is on the rise with an uncertain future where our quality youth (male and female) are leaving the country and being received with open arms in other countries.
Quite recently, the members of the House of Representatives agreed to implement and review the submissions from the Orosanye report. A move aimed at reducing government spending. Creating more seats in the house negates the objectives of the report as it only means more government spending for Nigeria.
The bill sponsored by Deputy speaker, Benjamin Benjamin Kalu and 12 others seeks to alter sections 48, 49, 71, & 117 of the 1999 constitution as amended to create one “special seat reserved exclusively for women in the senate and House of Representative for each state of the federation and the Federal capital territory”. It is to take effect after the term of the current National Assembly elapses and is subject to review every 16 years. The bill also proposes to alter section 91 of the constitution to provide for three special seats “reserved for women” in the state houses of Assembly.
If the members of the house of representatives wish to address issues of imbalance and under representation of women in the national assembly, such efforts should be made to effect changes in how electoral processes are carried out. Women rarely participate or apply for positions due to absence of inclusivity by the parties, cost of forms, late night meetings etc. Women are even made to feel like they are dragging for a position that “naturally” belongs to the men. Their capabilities are ignored, and their gender becomes a major hindrance for them. Some women who have previously shown interest in running for political positions or seats were advised to step down and the receptive ones were compensated with other positions and appointments. If the same song is sung twice, the tune becomes familiar.
Not forgetting how Senator Aishatu Dahiru Binani who was initially announced as the winner of the Adamawa governorship election, was later disappointed when the election was voided by the Independent national electoral commission. Such stories dissuade women from running for positions knowing that their victory is subject to powers beyond them.
Reacting on Tuesday, the Chairman of the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, Debo Adeniran, said the National Assembly was already overcrowded and needed no more seats.
Adeniran said, “It will be superfluous because we already have an overcrowded National Assembly. There is no reason why we should create more. As a matter of fact, our suggestion at the level of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights and CACOL is that we don’t need bicameral legislature at the national level, the way we have it.
“That the House of Representatives is enough, and that we should not have more than three representatives in each of the states. Yes, and they should be holding constituency meetings regularly, such that the constituents will have the opportunity to get regular feedback from their representatives.
“You will be able to carry out what is called a needs assessment and whatever bill is being considered will have to emanate from different constituents, not that the legislature or the legislator representing any constituency would think on behalf of the people. So, the creation of more seats in the Assembly is, as I said, superfluous, unnecessary, and unwarranted. There’s no reason for it.”
If the aim of creating more seats as the bill proposes is to encourage female inclusivity, gender balance and equal representation, then the electoral processes need to be fixed instead, electoral laws need to be adjusted to put the bulk of the punishment on sponsors of electoral offenders rather than the ballot box snatchers and thugs, who see their actions as a means of survival . The electoral commission needs to be transparent; the judiciary should be the hope it needs to be to address complaints; and political parties should allow for women’s participation in primary elections without fear of intimidation. Creating more seats is definitely not the way out.
