By Chiamaka Mbah
Shades of Us participated in the ElectHER and Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ) September Roundtable Webinar 2025, a timely conversation centered on two critical legislative efforts: the Reserved Seats Bill and the Independent Candidacy Bill. The event, themed Advancing Inclusive Governance, brought together political leaders, advocates, and changemakers to discuss how these bills could reshape Nigeria’s democratic future by promoting inclusive governance and broadening political participation.
The session featured three key speakers:
Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu: Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives; Lead Sponsor, Reserved Seats Bill
Hon. Akin Rotimi Jr.: Spokesperson of the House of Representatives; Lead Sponsor, Independent Candidacy Bill
Ibijoke Faborede: CEO, ElectHER
With thoughtful moderation, the dialogue underscored the urgency of addressing systemic exclusion, reinforcing public trust in governance, and creating space for women and independent voices in Nigeria’s political system.
Reserved Seats Bill: Expanding Women’s Representation
Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu opened the session by emphasizing that inclusive governance is essential for Nigeria’s growth. He explained that the Reserved Seats Bill seeks to create 37 additional Senate seats (one per state and the FCT) and 37 additional House of Representatives seats, exclusively for women.
The bill, he noted, is “not dismantling existing structures, women can still contest open seats, but rather creating an official avenue for women to participate more meaningfully in decision-making.” This, he argued, is especially critical in areas like healthcare and social welfare where women’s perspectives are often underrepresented.
Passing the bill will require a two-thirds majority in both chambers of the National Assembly, plus state-level approval. While acknowledging the difficulty of advocacy, he urged for unity:
“Every Nigerian, regardless of gender, deserves a seat at the table where decisions are made. Rome was not built in a day; let us take it step by step.”
He further encouraged citizens to attend the national hearing in Abuja, reinforcing that active participation is vital to pushing the bill forward.
Independent Candidacy Bill: Broadening Political Access
Hon. Akin Rotimi Jr. took the floor next, highlighting the Independent Candidacy Bill. Unlike the Reserved Seats Bill, which focuses on gender inclusion, this proposal addresses Nigeria’s entrenched party politics and the disenfranchisement it causes.
The bill would allow Nigerians to contest elections without joining political parties, providing opportunities for candidates whose visions do not align with existing party platforms. This, he explained, would:
Reinforce public trust in governance.
Reduce godfatherism and the rigid nature of party primaries.
Encourage grassroots participation and leadership.
Break the monopoly of entrenched political elites.
The bill is slated for debate and voting in October 2025, with a deadline for conclusion set for December 2025. Though similar proposals have failed in the past, Rotimi emphasized the renewed push for passage this time.
He challenged participants to actively lobby their representatives:
“This is the time to ask our representatives: have you heard about the Independent Candidacy Bill? Represent us well.”
Women in Leadership: Building a Collective Vision
The final speaker, Ibijoke Faborede, CEO of ElectHER, reiterated the central theme of the day: inclusive governance is non-negotiable. She stressed that Nigeria cannot progress without addressing systemic exclusion and ensuring women’s involvement in both policy design and leadership.
Faborede reminded participants that similar bills were once presented together in 1975, but failed. Today, she argued, separating them offers a better chance of success. She urged attendees to sign petitions for both bills and to show up at the public hearing in Abuja.
Her key message was the importance of shared responsibility:
“Vision building is the responsibility of everyone. Policies should be designed by people who understand them, and that means women must be fully involved.”
When asked about the financial demands of politics, she acknowledged the challenge but stressed that passing these bills would help structure resources and give women a much-needed “green light” to participate in governance.
The discussion made it clear that these two bills, Reserved Seats and Independent Candidacy, are not just legal frameworks but transformative tools for inclusion, representation, and equity.
This roundtable called participants to action:
Support petitions and engage in advocacy.
Show up at public hearings to demand change.
Lobby representatives to back both bills.
Invest collectively in building an inclusive political future.
As an organisation, we remain committed to amplifying youth and women’s voices, using storytelling to change narratives, and advocating for policies that ensure every Nigerian truly has a seat at the table.
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