By Queen Kunde
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Council, has applauded the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) for endorsing the Reserved Seats for Women Bill (HB 1349), describing the move as a historic step toward gender equity and inclusive governance in Nigeria.
In a statement signed by its Chairman, Comrade Grace Ike, the Council commended the governors for their “progressive and visionary stance,” noting that the decision reached at the conclusion of the NGF’s 5th meeting held on Thursday, October 23, 2025 demonstrates strong political will to strengthen women’s participation in governance at both national and subnational levels.
According to Ike, the bill, which proposes the creation of special constituencies to be contested exclusively by women, represents a pragmatic and corrective intervention to address long-standing gender gaps in legislative representation.
“The endorsement by the Governors is a bold step toward advancing gender justice, equity, and balanced democratic representation,” she said, urging National and State Assembly members to vote in favor of the bill during their November 4–6, 2025 sessions.
The NUJ FCT Council further called on the media, civil society organizations, and the wider public to sustain advocacy and public enlightenment campaigns on the benefits of inclusive governance, stressing that empowering women politically is essential for achieving sustainable national development.
“With this bill, Nigeria stands on the brink of a transformative shift that will strengthen democracy, promote fairness, and give women the voice they rightly deserve in shaping the nation’s future,” Ike added.
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