Ogun Assembly Pledges Support for Women’s Inclusion as NAWOJ Pushes for Special Seats Bill

ABEOKUTA – The Ogun State House of Assembly has reiterated its commitment to fostering inclusive governance, following an advocacy visit by the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) seeking legislative backing for the proposed Special Seats Bill.

The Speaker of the Assembly, Rt. Hon. Oludaisi Elemide, received members of the NAWOJ Ogun State chapter on a high-level advocacy mission, during which the group formally presented a position paper in support of the bill.

The proposed legislation, identified as HB1349, seeks to amend the constitution to address the chronic underrepresentation of women in Nigeria’s legislative houses through the creation of special seats.

In a letter addressed to the Speaker, NAWOJ Acting Chairperson Oluwatoyin Adegoke stressed that the current democratic framework remains deficient, as systemic barriers continue to exclude half of the nation’s population from meaningful political participation.

“Women’s marginal representation in legislative bodies is not a reflection of capacity but the result of entrenched systemic barriers that require deliberate and corrective legislative action,” Adegoke stated.

She described the Special Seats Bill as a necessary corrective measure to restore balance and credibility to the nation’s democracy, urging the Ogun Assembly to take a leadership role in championing gender-responsive policies.

The association made a three-pronged appeal to the Speaker, calling for:

· Advocacy Support: Leveraging the legislative platform to galvanize support for the passage of HB1349.
· State-Level Engagement: Championing resolutgalvanise actively promote women’s political inclusion within Ogun State.
· Legislative Alignment: Encouraging lawmakers in Ogun to align with national efforts aimed at dismantling barriers to women’s leadership.

Responding, Rt. Hon. Elemide commended NAWOJ for its dedication to equity and democratic good governance. He assured the delegation that the Ogun State House of Assembly remains steadfast in its commitment to an inclusive legislative process that accommodates all stakeholders.

The Speaker affirmed that the Assembly would continue to advocate for policies that strengthen sustainable democratic development, noting that genuine representation is a fundamental pillar of any thriving society.