ABUJA — The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has thrown its weight behind a bill before the National Assembly seeking to reserve legislative seats for women, pledging to move beyond token promises and ensure genuine gender inclusion in governance.
PDP Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, gave the assurance on Monday during a meeting of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), held ahead of its 102nd National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for Tuesday in Abuja.
Damagum stressed that it was no longer enough to have the 35 per cent affirmative action for women enshrined on paper, saying the time had come for practical implementation.
“Recently, the National Assembly has been pushing forward with the liberation and inclusion of women in governance. You’ll recall that the Speaker of the House of Representatives sent a delegation led by the Minister of Women Affairs and the Chairperson of the House Committee on Women Affairs to visit the National Working Committee (NWC). Their mission was to engage us on the reserved seats bill. At that meeting, we gave our word that we will endorse the bill,” Damagum said.
He reaffirmed the PDP’s commitment to advancing women’s participation not only in government but also within the party’s own leadership structure.
“The PDP constitution already supports 35 per cent affirmative action, but now is the time to make it a reality. As we prepare for our national convention, meaningful representation of women must be ensured — not just in committees but in the election of national officers,” he added.
The reserved seats bill, currently before the National Assembly, is seen as a bold step towards addressing gender imbalance in Nigeria’s political space.
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