Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele says the ongoing review of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution includes plans to create 74 extra seats for women in the National Assembly and additional reserved positions in state legislatures.
Titiansloaaded reports that the National Assembly’s Constitution Review Committee has proposed creating 74 new legislative seats for women in the Senate and House of Representatives as part of efforts to improve female representation in Nigerian politics.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele disclosed this on Monday during the 2026 Law Week of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Ekiti State Chapter.
Bamidele, who also serves as Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, said the proposal would introduce 37 additional seats in each chamber of the National Assembly.
Under the arrangement, every state and the Federal Capital Territory would receive one extra seat in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, with the positions reserved exclusively for women.
The committee has also proposed three additional seats for women in each State House of Assembly, without removing or replacing any existing constituency seats.
According to Bamidele, the proposal is part of a constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish special seats for women in national and state legislatures.
He said the initiative followed extensive consultations and consensus-building, adding that the review process was designed to be inclusive and thorough rather than rushed.
The proposed arrangement would operate for 16 years, covering four electoral cycles, before a comprehensive review. Bamidele described the provision as a sunset clause intended to promote sustainable reforms while allowing a more inclusive political culture to develop.
He said the committee was engaging with State Houses of Assembly, whose approval is constitutionally required for the amendment to become law.
Speaking at the event, Bamidele argued that increasing women’s representation was necessary to strengthen representative democracy, stressing that excluding a significant portion of the population from decision-making weakens democratic governance.
He maintained that the proposal was not driven by party interests but by the need to address the longstanding underrepresentation of women in political leadership.
The senator also acknowledged the advocacy of First Lady Oluremi Tinubu and other stakeholders in advancing the initiative.
The FIDA Ekiti programme, chaired by Mrs Ayobami Olowoyo-Richards, was held under the theme, “Justice in a Changing World: Responding to New Challenges Affecting Women and Children.”
Bamidele further called for stronger legal protections for women and children, particularly against domestic violence, abuse and other emerging threats.
He said justice should be accessible, affordable, timely and effective, adding that victims must receive legal assistance, medical attention and psychosocial support, while perpetrators should be held accountable under the law.
The event was attended by the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Information and National Orientation, Steve Fatoba, and the Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Adeoye Aribasoye, among other dignitaries.
