By Ibidapo Olowolayemo, Ibadan
Monday August 4, 2025
Please, share this story:
Lawmaker representing Ona-Ara and Egbeda Constituency at the Federal House of Representatives and Chairman, House Committee on Works, Hon. Akin Alabi, has disclosed that the National Assembly is working on improving women’s participation in politics.
Alabi said the percentage of women’s representation at the House of Representatives and the Senate was significantly low, saying that lawmakers were considering a constitutional amendment to bridge the gap.
The lawmaker spoke at an empowerment programme organised for women by the Special Adviser to the Minister of State for Agriculture, Farmer Omolara K. Svensson, in Ibadan at the weekend.
“I think we must first acknowledge that there is a problem. If you look at the representation of women in politics in government, look at the House of Representatives, for example; there are very few women, and likewise the Senate, and in other positions as well,” Alabi said.
Honourable Alabi, who spoke with journalists on women’s participation in politics, at the event with the; “Seeds of Change: “Women, Agriculture and the Politics of Progress,” said it was imperative to make more women participate in politics.
He lauded the convener and National Coordinator, President, Nigerian Women for Agricultural Development, Farmer Svensson.
Present at the event, were All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders in Egbeda/Ona-Ara Federal Constituency, including Dr. Oyenike Adeleke, Alhaja Tinuade Shakirat Adigun, Honourable Oke-Are Aina, Chief (Mrs.) Adebayo Yinka, Temitope Olawonyin, Honourable Adebola Shakirat Adetunji, Comrade Olawale Olaleye, among other dignitaries.
Speaking further, Honourable Alabi disclosed that he would support a constitutional amendment currently at the public hearing stage which he said would create more seats for women in the parliament.
“From the legal point of view, there is a constitutional amendment currently at the public hearing stage, which is to create more seats for women in the parliament.
“One extra seat per state in the House of Representatives and one extra seat for the Senate are in the offing. So, that will be an extra 36 women in the House of Representatives and an extra 36 women in the Senate.
“I’m willing to back that proposal when we get to the Third Reading when we need to vote on the floor of the House,” Alabi said.
He stressed that giving more opportunities to women to be on the ballot would pave the way for more options for voting for quality women for political representation.
“It’s about giving them more opportunities so that there will be more women on the ballot. And there will be more options and more quality women that we can vote for,” the lawmaker added.
The convener of the programme, Farmer Svensson while speaking on the motivation for the programme, urged women to embrace active political participation.
“I’m doing this because as a nation, we need more women to be part of decision-making, the policies that shape our communities and our societies.
“I used to be of the notion that as a farmer, I don’t have business with politics. And I have said it in many of my interviews, but as I grow in my career as an agripreneur, I see that most of the problems we are having in the agric sector come down to policy and policy implementation,” Svensson said.
Asked if she was employing empowerment in agriculture as a strategy to bring more women to politics, Svensson said,
“Empowerment in agriculture is for us all to stay alive. Our leader and the father of the nation, President Bola Tinubu, took one of the boldest decisions when he came into office by announcing food insecurity in Nigeria.
“Food insecurity in Nigeria did not start yesterday or five years ago, but he was bold enough to declare it. So, empowerment in agriculture is a must for us all to remain alive, so that we don’t starve to death.
“We need women to be part of governance and policymaking. And that is what is happening here today. The truth is, we were looking at between 50 and 100 people, but today, we have almost 300 people, and that is a good thing. We are only starting in Oyo State, but it is going to be a nationwide movement by the special grace of God.”
In her admonition for women seeking political representation, former Oyo State Head of Service, Mrs. Hannah Ogunesan, noted that women had equal rights and chances with men all over the world.
“As a woman, I believe that you have equal rights and chances with men all over the world. It depends on your perception, the way you perceive yourself; that is the way they will place you.
“And we have seen women who have excelled in their endeavours, be it in government, politics, and even in other areas of life.
“So, I want to admonish my women that we must participate actively,” Ogunesan said.
We are here to serve you with news and information.
Your donations, reactions, and advert placement are welcome.
Contact us on 08033783144 (WhatsApp)
08023469999(WhatsApp)
idowuadelusi@yahoo.com,adelusiidowu@yahoo.com, idowuadelusi@gmail.com,
thepathfindernews0@gmail.com
Follow our reports also on X @idowuadelusi and Facebook (Idowu Oluwole Adelusi)