By: Joshua Weng Chuwang
The Nigerian House of Representatives has proposed a constitutional amendment to reserve 5 per cent of seats for Persons with Disabilities (PWDS), in a bid to tackle imbalance and drastic underrepresentation in the National Assembly.
The Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, made it known in Abuja during the opening of the 2025 Legislative Open Week, which commenced on the 8th of July and will end on the 10th of July, 2025. He disclosed the plan of the House to allocate 5 per cent of seats to persons with disabilities and 10 per cent to women.
For a very long time, there have been voices fighting for inclusive governance, and these clamours have not gone unheard.
“A central feature of our inclusive governance proposals is the introduction of constitutionally guaranteed reserved seats for women and persons with disabilities.”
The Speaker clarified that the reserved seats for persons with disabilities would be filled through direct elections, which would be conducted on separate ballots. According to him, the representation will be distributed evenly across states to maintain regional balance.
“These seats would be filled through direct elections on separate ballots. PWD seats will be nominated through accredited advocacy organisations,” he said.
Compared to other countries like Senegal and Rwanda, the representation of persons with disabilities and women in politics is insignificant. The female representation in Nigeria’s 10th assembly was 4.7% as documented by the National Assembly Library Trust Fund.
Although the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018 and some provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 are aimed at promoting the inclusiveness of persons with disabilities in politics, the implementation of these laws has been poor.
The Speaker said he would track the proposal and ensure it is fully acted upon for PWDs and women to enjoy equal rights.
“These reserved-seat representatives would enjoy the same rights, privileges, and committee assignments as their peers, reinforcing their full integration into legislative work,” he confirmed and stressed that this reform was “long overdue.”
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, praised the efforts of the House of Representatives and pledged to support the Speaker in all ways possible.
Presently, the House of Representatives is considering about 109 amendment bills, including matters relating to fiscal policies and accountability, procedural judicial bills, and electoral reforms.
