A new bill aims to add six more seats to Nigeria’s House of Representatives, raising membership to 366. Learn more about the potential impacts and legislative process.
The House of Representatives has proposed a bill to modify Section 49 of the amended 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, aiming to allocate six special seats for women and individuals with disabilities.
The bill, known as the “Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) (Six Special Seats for Special Interest Groups) Bill, 2024 (HB.1811),” was introduced for its first reading during Wednesday’s plenary session.
The proposed amendment, sponsored by House Spokesman Akintunde Rotimi (Ekiti-APC), aims to raise the total number of representatives in the House from 360 to 366. The six additional seats will be specifically reserved for women and persons with disabilities (PWDs).
The bill stipulates that these special seats will be evenly distributed among Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, guaranteeing one representative from each zone. Candidates vying for these positions must fulfill all the qualifications necessary for regular House members.
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The bill further suggests that elections for these positions be carried out via an electoral college consisting of members from the National Associations of each special group. This would involve contributions from grassroots and regional levels through a multi-tiered election process.
The statement also mentioned that after being elected, the representatives would serve a term identical to other House members and receive the same benefits as specified in the bill.
Rotimi mentioned that the purpose of the bill is to improve representation for women and individuals with disabilities, who frequently encounter substantial obstacles to political involvement.
He stated that adding these special seats will amplify the voices of underrepresented groups at the national level, fostering a more balanced and inclusive legislative framework for Nigeria.
