The Majority Leader of the Adamawa State House of Assembly, Kate Mamuno, has said women in Nigeria are not seeking to take power from men but to improve representation through the proposed reserved seats bill.
Mamuno stated this while addressing journalists on the growing debate around the bill, which seeks to create additional legislative seats for women in the National Assembly.
She explained that the proposal, also known as the special seats bill, is designed to boost female participation in governance and help Nigeria achieve the 35 per cent affirmative action target.
According to her, the bill proposes one additional Senate seat for women in each state and the Federal Capital Territory, as well as one extra seat in the House of Representatives.
Responding to concerns that the bill could be discriminatory against men, the lawmaker dismissed the claims, insisting that the move is not about taking over political space.
“We are not taking power from the men, no. What we need is one extra Senate seat for women in each state and the FCT, and one additional House of Representatives seat for women,” she said.
Mamuno described the demand as “reasonable and simple,” noting that it is aimed at ensuring women’s voices are better represented in the legislative process.
She added that increased female representation would strengthen inclusive governance and reflect the realities of Nigeria’s diverse population.