Summary
First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has endorsed the Reserved Seats for Women Bill. She urged the National Assembly to swiftly pass the legislation to increase women's political representation. Senator Oluremi said this on November 26, 2025, during a dinner she hosted for Senate President Godswill Akpabio and other principal officers of the National Assembly at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has publicly supported the Reserved Seats for Women Bill, calling on the National Assembly to make history by passing the legislation to expand women’s representation in governance.
Senator Oluremi restated her appeal on November 26, 2025, during a dinner she hosted for Senate President Godswill Akpabio, House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and other principal officers of the National Assembly at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The bill, now at its third reading stage, seeks to introduce 182 women-only legislative seats across federal and state levels, a move that will advance gender inclusion in Nigeria’s political system.
Speaking to lawmakers, the First Lady noted that the need for increased women’s participation has been a long-running national conversation, urging the 10th Assembly to be the one that finally delivers meaningful change.
She also drew on global examples where affirmative action policies have strengthened governance and social inclusion, insisting that Nigeria should embrace similar progressive paths. She expressed confidence in the lawmakers’ experience and patriotism to support constitutionally sound and politically strategic solutions for women’s advancement.
Meanwhile, Chief Osasu Igbinedion-Ogwuche, convener and lead advocate of the Reserved Seats for Women Bill campaign coalition, welcomed the First Lady’s endorsement, describing it as a transformative milestone in Nigeria’s democratic journey.
Chief Osasu noted that the First Lady’s support is a powerful and historic step toward building a more inclusive and representative democracy, adding that the moment was the result of months of strategic engagement and persistent advocacy from women’s groups and allies across the country.
“The First Lady’s endorsement is more than a political gesture,” she said. “It signals that real progress is possible when leadership listens, when compassion meets courage and when we rise together for something greater than ourselves.”
She dedicated the moment to Nigerian women who have long pushed for political inclusion despite systemic barriers, noting that their “persistence, courage, and refusal to give up” laid the foundation for this breakthrough.
