By Adekunle Oluwafunmilayo
A coalition of women under the Nigeria League of Women Voters, Ogun State chapter on Wednesday 25, March 2026 staged a peaceful protest across parts of the state, calling for the swift passage of the proposed Special Seats for Women Bill.
The protesters marched to constituency offices located along Ejinrin Road in Odogbolu and Ajaka in Sagamu, where they formally submitted petitions to members of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Ogunbanwo and Hon. Adesola Ayoola Elegbeji.
Hon. Ogunbanwo represents Ijebu Central Federal Constituency, while Elegbeji represents Remo Federal Constituency.
The demonstrators led by Mrs Adekunle funmi and Odusanya Deborah who described their action as peaceful and issue-based, urged the lawmakers to support and champion the passage of the Special Seats for Women Bill at the National Assembly.
According to the group, the proposed legislation is aimed at addressing the persistent underrepresentation of women in elective positions by creating additional seats for women in the National and State Assemblies.
The petition to the Special Seats for Women Bill offers a temporary but necessary affirmative action mechanism to correct historical inequalities and align Nigeria with global best practices.
The organisation further noted that Nigeria’s obligations under international frameworks including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the Maputo Protocol require proactive steps to enhance women’s participation in governance.
It also referenced regional commitments such as the African Union’s Agenda and the ECOWAS Gender Policy, which advocate increased gender inclusion in political leadership.
“We trust in your sense of justice and commitment to democratic principles to act decisively on this matter,” the petition read, expressing optimism that the lawmaker would support efforts to build a more inclusive and equitable political system.
The Special Seats for Women Bill has been considered in previous sessions of the National Assembly but failed to secure the required majority, a development stakeholders have attributed to insufficient political will.
Leaders of the coalition emphasised that the bill would serve as a corrective measure to bridge gender imbalance in governance and strengthen inclusive representation in Nigeria’s democratic process.
The group urged Ogunbanwo to use his legislative influence to rally support for the bill and advocate for its expedited consideration, including the possibility of an emergency sitting to fast-track deliberations.
They called on the lawmakers to not only vote in favour of the bill when presented on the floor of the House but also mobilise their colleagues to ensure its successful passage.
The petition was received by Mr Atekoja on behalf of Hon. Femi Ogunbanwo and Mr Abiodun Shoneye on behalf of Hon Elegbeji with assurance that the message will be duly conveyed to the appropriate authorities.
The protest ended peacefully after the submission of the petitions, with the group expressing optimism that their demands would receive the necessary legislative attention.
