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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Elections & Politics

Reps to pursue reserved parliamentary seats for PWDs after women’s bill — Abbas

From The Punch · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • The Speaker of Nigeria's House of Representatives announced plans to create reserved parliamentary seats for persons with disabilities after addressing special seats for women.
  • This initiative aims to expand political inclusion and give people with disabilities greater representation in elective offices.
  • The Speaker also confirmed President Tinubu's support for a bill seeking reserved seats for women in the National Assembly and state legislatures.

Nigeria's House of Representatives intends to pursue constitutional amendments for reserved parliamentary seats for persons with disabilities, following the conclusion of work on similar provisions for women. Speaker Tajudeen Abbas stated this commitment during a meeting with a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) delegation in Abuja.

Let me inform you that after addressing the reserved women’s seats, our next focus, in collaboration with the UNDP, will be on people with disabilities.

— Tajudeen AbbasAnnouncing the next legislative priority.

Abbas emphasized the House's determination to enhance political inclusion by ensuring greater representation for individuals with disabilities in elective positions. "These are people who have been neglected in this country, not just in Nigeria, but across Africa," he remarked. He believes that institutionalizing reserved seats for people with disabilities could set a precedent for other African nations.

These are people who have been neglected in this country, not just in Nigeria, but across Africa. We need to step up and ensure that they are given more visibility, particularly on elective positions, so that they can contribute their quota to the socio-economic development of our country and Africa.

— Tajudeen AbbasExplaining the rationale for reserved seats for persons with disabilities.

The Speaker expressed optimism that Nigeria could lead by example, inspiring other countries on the continent to create special seats for persons with disabilities. "What we do in Nigeria can resonate throughout Africa. We believe that if this initiative succeeds, it will open doors across the continent," he said.

What we do in Nigeria can resonate throughout Africa. We believe that if this initiative succeeds, it will open doors across the continent. Others would emulate us by creating special seats for persons with disabilities.

— Tajudeen AbbasHighlighting the potential continental impact of the initiative.

Furthermore, Abbas reaffirmed President Bola Tinubu's strong backing for the bill proposing reserved seats for women in the National Assembly and state legislative bodies. He stated that both the President and First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu are fully supportive of the proposal. Consultations are underway between the presidency and the National Assembly leadership to garner support from state legislatures for the constitutional amendment.

I can confidently tell you that Mr President and the First Lady are 100 per cent on board on this matter.

— Tajudeen AbbasConfirming presidential support for the women's seats bill.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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