Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has used a dinner she hosted for Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and other principal officers of the National Assembly at the Presidential Villa to push for greater legislative backing for reserved seats for women in parliament.
The gathering, which brought together key lawmakers who have previously worked with her during her years in the Senate, provided an opportunity for renewed advocacy on women’s political representation.
In her remarks, Mrs. Tinubu expressed delight at receiving the lawmakers, describing the evening as a reunion with individuals she had collaborated with on major national legislation. She said, “This room is filled with familiar faces, colleagues and friends with whom I have debated, loved, disagreed, for ultimately working side-by-side to advance legislation that centralises the objectives of our nation.”
The First Lady’s appeal comes at a time when conversations around women’s inclusion in governance have intensified following past constitutional amendment attempts that failed to pass gender-related bills. Nigeria continues to record one of the lowest levels of female representation in Africa, a challenge that has drawn calls from advocates and political stakeholders for structural reforms, including reserved legislative seats.
Her engagement with principal leaders of the National Assembly signals renewed efforts to build consensus around expanding women’s participation in national decision-making as part of ongoing push for inclusive governance reforms.
