Pass Special Seats for Women Bill Now, Laolu Akande tells National Assembly

Former presidential aide Laolu Akande has warned that the fate of the Special Seats for Women Bill will serve as a defining test for Nigeria’s 10th National Assembly, urging lawmakers to rise to what he described as a historic responsibility in the country’s democratic evolution. Speaking on the My Take segment of Inside Sources with […]

Former presidential aide Laolu Akande has warned that the fate of the Special Seats for Women Bill will serve as a defining test for Nigeria’s 10th National Assembly, urging lawmakers to rise to what he described as a historic responsibility in the country’s democratic evolution.

Speaking on the My Take segment of Inside Sources with Laolu Akande on Channels TV, Akande made a strong case for increased female representation in elective offices, arguing that the bill goes beyond symbolism to deliver tangible social and economic gains.

“Without a doubt, a greater representation of women will be a notable development in our democratic evolution. Not just for the useful spice that the women will bring and the great vibe that such a thing offers, it will also mobilise real, active and sustainable development in other sectors of our national life especially because of the impacts that this will create socially and economically. We all know that Nigerian women carry such positive force,” he said.

Akande aligned himself with civil society voices pressing lawmakers to back the proposal, citing comments by Clement Nwankwo of the Policy and Legislative Advocacy Centre.

“So, I want to agree with Mr Clement Nwankwo of the Policy and Legislative Advocacy Centre who said ‘If the current National Assembly members do not support the Special Seats for Women Bill, Nigerians will conclude that the 10th National Assembly has failed.’”

According to Akande, the moment demands courage and foresight from legislators, stressing that Nigeria can no longer postpone deliberate action on gender inclusion in politics.

“The time to begin to seriously pursue gender equality in the political space has come. And the current national assembly members should embrace this potential landmark,” he said.

Beyond passage, Akande insisted on transparency in the legislative process, calling for full disclosure of lawmakers’ positions when the bill is put to a vote.

“We must demand that whenever the vote for the Special Seats for Women Bill is done, we must have all the records. We need to know those who will support the bill and those who will oppose it,” he added, arguing that public accountability would strengthen democratic trust.

In the same broadcast, Akande also touched on the broader political environment, welcoming recent efforts by the electoral umpire to stabilise opposition politics. He noted that the Independent National Electoral Commission had begun engagement with factions of the Peoples Democratic Party to resolve internal disputes.

“INEC is meeting the factions of the PDP to discuss and resolve their differences. And this is a good move by the new chairman of INEC Professor Joash Amupitan. We need a viable opposition in Nigeria,” Akande said.

As the Special Seats for Women Bill inches closer to a decisive vote, Akande’s intervention underscores growing public scrutiny of the 10th Assembly and the expectation that it will either entrench gender inclusion as a democratic norm—or face lasting judgment for missing a historic opportunity.