A coordinated coalition of women advocates staged a peaceful but high-impact protest across parts of Ogun State on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, intensifying calls on federal lawmakers to support the passage of the proposed Special Seats for Women Bill.
The demonstrators mobilised across strategic locations, including constituency offices along Ejinrin Road in Odogbolu and Ajaka in Sagamu, where formal petitions were submitted to members of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Ogunbanwo and Hon. Adesola Ayoola Elegbeji.
Speaking during the protest, frontline advocates Mrs. Adekunle Funmi and Odusanya Deborah framed the action as both symbolic and urgent, underscoring the growing impatience among stakeholders over what they described as systemic gender exclusion in Nigeria’s political landscape.
According to the organisers, the proposed Special Seats for Women Bill is a structural intervention aimed at correcting historical imbalances by creating additional legislative seats exclusively for women at both national and state levels.
They argued that Nigeria’s democratic framework remains incomplete without deliberate inclusion policies, noting that the bill aligns with global standards such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), African Union gender commitments, and the ECOWAS Gender Policy.
Describing the bill as a “necessary corrective mechanism,” the group urged lawmakers to move beyond rhetoric and demonstrate political will by ensuring its passage. The petition also called for accelerated legislative processes, including the possibility of an emergency sitting, to fast-track deliberations.
The protesters specifically challenged Ogunbanwo, who represents Ijebu Central Federal Constituency, and Elegbeji of Remo Federal Constituency, to not only endorse the bill but also galvanise support among their colleagues within the National Assembly.
Representatives of both lawmakers received the petitions on their behalf, with assurances that the submissions would be duly communicated. Mr. Atekoja stood in for Ogunbanwo, while Mr. Abiodun Shoneye received the petition on behalf of Elegbeji.
Despite the intensity of the advocacy, the protest remained orderly, concluding without incident. Organisers expressed cautious optimism that sustained civic pressure would shift legislative priorities in favour of the bill.
Advocates maintain that without institutional reforms such as the Special Seats for Women Bill, women’s representation in Nigeria’s governance structure will remain disproportionately low, ultimately constraining the depth and inclusiveness of the country’s democracy.