…How media tell the story could shape public perception of constitutional reforms, say experts.
By Mercy Gadia Adi
Calls for constitutional reform intensified as gender activists and civil society groups cautioned that delays in the amendment process risk stalling key national initiatives, including the widely supported proposal to introduce reserved legislative seats for women.
At a one-day media training for National Assembly correspondents organised by the TOS Foundation, constitutional scholar and gender advocate Dr. Chidozie Ajah said Nigeria can no longer ignore the structural barriers that have historically limited women’s political participation. The training, themed “Strengthening Reporting on the Reserved Seats for Women Bill,” examined both the content of the bill and the media’s role in shaping public perception.
Ajah noted that women’s low participation in elections was not due to lack of capacity or ambition but decades of cultural and societal conditioning. Citing the 2023 general elections, he revealed that only 92 women contested over 1,000 senatorial seats, while just 288 women ran out of more than 3,000 contenders for the House of Representatives.
“With only 4.7 percent female representation—17 members in the House and four in the Senate—Nigeria ranks 184th globally. We call ourselves the giant of Africa, yet half of our population holds less than five percent of legislative seats,” he said.
The proposed constitutional amendment seeks to create 37 reserved seats in the Senate and 37 in the House of Representatives, alongside three additional female seats per state assembly for four electoral cycles. However, Ajah warned that a Senate Committee recommendation to reduce the Senate’s reserved seats from 37 to six would dilute the impact.
“This is not a favour. It is a necessary correction. Our democracy is functioning at half capacity,” he stressed, adding that the economic benefits far outweigh the cost, which he described as “about one percent of the national budget.” He cited a McKinsey estimate that fully integrating women into governance and economic life could boost Nigeria’s GDP by up to $229 billion.
Ajah emphasised that the reserved seats would remain fully democratic: “These are not appointments. Women will campaign, canvass, and compete just like men.”
Facilitator Dr. Adaora Sydney-Jack urged journalists to avoid portraying women as recipients of charity, instead highlighting competence, policy experience, and merit-based achievements. She cited Rwanda, Senegal and Tanzania as examples where reserved seats transformed political participation, noting that the Nigerian media must avoid gendered framing and patronising narratives.
Speaking Also, the coalition leader Chief Osasu Igbinedion Ogwuche, Founder of the TOS Foundation and Convener of the Reserved Seats for Women Campaign Coalition, said Nigerians had already demonstrated commitment through submissions, public hearings and consultations.
“Insecurity is worsening, local governments are failing, voter confidence is dropping, and democratic legitimacy is eroding,” she said. With INEC party primaries set to close by July 2026, Ogwuche warned that “any further hesitation risks locking the country into yet another flawed election cycle.”
Key amendments include Section 48, creating one women’s seat per state and the FCT in the Senate; Section 49, creating similar seats in the House; and Section 91, expanding state legislatures by adding three women’s seats per state. Other sections align electoral frameworks with these new structures.
The coalition stressed that the reforms are not acts of benevolence but deliberate measures to correct historical disadvantages and strengthen Nigeria’s democracy.
Journalists were urged to handle the constitutional debate with greater responsibility, acknowledging that their reporting could influence whether Nigerians view the proposal as a matter of fairness or merely as political patronage.
They urged lawmakers to demonstrate political will and match the pace set by citizens. “Nigeria cannot afford further stagnation on reforms crucial to inclusive governance,” the group warned.