Former First Lady of Nigeria, Patience Jonathan, has renewed calls for stronger representation of women in governance, urging lawmakers to pass legislation that guarantees a 35 percent affirmative action quota for women in political leadership.
She made the appeal during the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) Women Conference held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. Her remarks came in response to comments by the Governor of Bayelsa State, Douye Diri, who argued that women should be fully integrated into politics without the need for specially reserved seats.
Governor Diri had earlier stated that while he supports increased participation of women in politics, he does not believe that reserving specific seats for women in legislative bodies is the best approach. According to him, such measures could unintentionally portray women as needing special treatment.
The governor revealed that he had recently discussed the issue with the Deputy High Commissioner of the United Kingdom during a visit to Bayelsa. He explained that the diplomat supported the proposal for special seats for women in Nigeria’s National Assembly as a temporary strategy to increase female representation. However, Diri said he was only partly convinced.
“I do not want our women to be seen as second-class citizens,” the governor stated. He pointed out that countries like the United Kingdom and the United States do not allocate special parliamentary seats for women, yet women in those countries participate actively in politics and occupy top leadership positions.
Diri emphasized that Nigerian women are highly capable and successful in various professions such as medicine, engineering, law, and academia. He noted that many women are already making significant contributions to society and should be able to compete in politics without additional privileges.
He also highlighted his administration’s efforts to promote gender inclusion in Bayelsa State by appointing more women to positions within the state executive council and other government structures. Despite these efforts, he admitted that progress remains slow. For example, he had hoped that at least five women would be elected to the Bayelsa State House of Assembly during the 2023 elections, but only two were successful.
The governor further acknowledged that internal divisions among women sometimes hinder collective progress. Nonetheless, he assured women in the Niger Delta region of his continued support and encouraged them to unite and advocate for their rights within the political space.
In contrast, Mrs. Jonathan maintained that voluntary inclusion is not enough and insisted that women’s representation must be legally guaranteed. According to her, relying on the goodwill of political leaders could leave women vulnerable to policy reversals whenever there is a change in government.
She stressed that the proposed Special Seats Bill currently before the National Assembly should be passed into law to secure long-term protection for women’s political participation.
Mrs. Jonathan argued that Nigeria’s political environment differs from that of many developed nations often used as examples. While gender inclusion may occur naturally in those countries, she said Nigeria’s political system requires deliberate policies and negotiations to ensure fairness.
Drawing comparisons with other African nations, she noted that countries like Angola have already adopted the 35 percent representation benchmark for women in governance. She said such policies demonstrate that structured gender inclusion can work effectively when supported by law.
The former first lady also called on Nigerian women across political parties to put aside partisan differences and work together toward a common goal of stronger political representation.
She emphasized that political parties play a critical role in shaping leadership because they serve as the primary gateway to public office. Therefore, she argued that at least 35 percent of leadership positions within party structures should be reserved for women.
According to her, ensuring women’s participation at the foundational level of political parties would help secure their place in future governance and decision-making processes across the country.
Mrs. Jonathan concluded by urging Nigerian women to unite, speak with one voice, and intensify their advocacy until meaningful gender representation becomes a permanent feature of the nation’s political system.
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