The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has called on the National Assembly to expedite the passage of a bill proposing 74 constitutionally reserved seats for women, aiming to boost female representation ahead of the 2027 general elections.

This demand was made during a two-day conference in Abuja, themed ‘Breaking the Barriers and Shaping Positive Attitudes Towards Inclusive Politics in Nigeria’.

The event, organized by the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in partnership with the IPAC Directorate of Women Affairs, brought together female political leaders to strategize on gender inclusion in governance.

IPAC’s National Chairman, Dr. Yusuf Mamman Dantalle, led the charge for legislative action.

“Accordingly, IPAC reiterates its call for the passage of the bill on the reservation of special seats for women in parliament, currently pending in the National Assembly. The bill seeks to create 74 seats for women to encourage greater female participation in politics,” Dantalle stated.

To institutionalize gender inclusiveness, IPAC announced the establishment of three directorates—Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities—within its organizational structure.

These arms are tasked with amplifying the voices of underrepresented groups in political discourse and party decision-making processes.

“In any democratic society, the active participation of women in politics is crucial to achieving inclusivity, equality, equity, and sustainable development,” Dantalle added.

The council reaffirmed its intention to lobby both the National Assembly and the Presidency to ensure the bill’s passage.

It also committed to strengthening female representation from the national level down to local party structures.

Beyond the gender reservation bill, Dantalle also advocated for swift action on the long-awaited Electoral Offences Commission bill.

“Council urges the National Assembly to also pass the Electoral Offences Commission bill into law to enable the prosecution of electoral offenders and their sponsors,” he said.

He further proposed that Nigeria consider implementing a single-day general election, as practiced in the U.S., Ghana, and Sierra Leone.

“A single-day election will reduce costs, minimise disruption, and address logistical challenges,” Dantalle noted.

Former Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, echoed the urgency for structural reforms within political parties.

She recommended immediate constitutional amendments to reserve at least 50% of positions—both appointive and elective—for women.

“One solution I recommend is for all political parties to immediately amend their constitutions to create special seats for women. Parties should mandate the allocation of at least 50 per cent of appointments and elective positions to women,” she emphasized.

Tallen also pushed for the adoption of the “Zebra Policy,” which encourages alternating male and female candidates in party nominations.

“Since political parties are central to governance and policy direction, they must take the lead in addressing religious and cultural norms that hinder women’s involvement,” she said.

Appealing to national leadership, she urged both President Bola Tinubu and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu to champion the gender inclusion cause.

“President Bola Tinubu should lead the charge for gender inclusion. Mrs Oluremi Tinubu should use her position to champion the mainstreaming of women in Nigerian politics,” she urged.

Tallen expressed concern over Nigeria’s dismal global standing in female political representation, pointing out that women currently occupy just 4.2% of seats in the National Assembly.

This figure, she noted, pales in comparison to Rwanda, where women hold 64% of parliamentary seats.

“As the Giant of Africa, Nigeria must take the lead in gender mainstreaming and dismantling gender bias in politics,” she stated.

NIPSS Director-General, Professor Ayo Omotayo, also addressed the gathering, reiterating the institute’s commitment to supporting national dialogue.

He emphasized the danger of marginalizing women in governance, stating that such exclusion weakens democracy and hampers equitable leadership.

The conference concluded with a collective call from stakeholders for systemic reforms to remove barriers to women’s political participation and promote a more inclusive democratic process.

Retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, now serving as the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, has issued a stern caution to protesters backing suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, stating that their actions are putting his patience to the test.

This warning came through the Senior Special Adviser on Media to the administrator, Hector Igbikiowubo, who emphasized that Ibas has refrained from exercising the full scope of his emergency powers as outlined in the government gazette.

Speaking to DAILY GAZETTE on Tuesday, Igbikiowubo noted, “the fact that people are able to protest speaks to the administrator’s level of tolerance.”

“If you check the gazette declaring emergency rule, you will see that it grants the administrator sweeping powers. Yes, sweeping powers. But fortunately for Rivers residents, the administrator has exercised restraint.”

He described the continuing demonstrations as a significant challenge to the administrator’s authority.

“These protests, for whatever reason, are testing the administrator’s will. We urge Rivers residents to be restrained. It is important that we allow a cool head to prevail at this time. All hands must be on deck to restore democratic institutions.”

Igbikiowubo added that peaceful protest should not be confused with threats or disruption.

“Such actions are unnecessary,” he said, emphasizing that the re-establishment of governance structures will not come through intimidation or unrest.

He also disclosed that Ibas is engaging with key groups as part of a broader peace initiative.

“The administrator met with the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria in the state today (Tuesday). They had lengthy discussions, and the CAN leadership provided advice on the way forward and the things they would like to see done.”

“This meeting took place at the administrator’s initiative, and he is making arrangements to meet with other important stakeholders in the state.”

According to Igbikiowubo, these engagements underscore Ibas’s intentions to return the state to democratic governance.

“This speaks to his preparedness, his mindset. He is fully committed to restoring democracy in Rivers State,” he said.

When asked about the administrator’s response to a pending invitation from the House of Representatives, Igbikiowubo replied briefly: “No, we don’t have a date yet.”

Meanwhile, a coalition of concerned Rivers State citizens has challenged the legality of the emergency rule, describing it as unconstitutional.

In an open letter addressed to President Bola Tinubu and shared with the National Assembly and international organizations, the group demanded that the decision be reversed and all suspended officials reinstated.

The letter, signed by notable figures including Donu Kogbara, Aleruchi Cookey-Gam, Dane Ibim Semenitari, Lloyd F. Ukwu (NADECO USA), Julie Dyer, and 19 others, took strong exception to the President’s action.

It reads in part “Dear President Tinubu. We, the People of Rivers State and concerned citizens of Nigeria, write to express our utmost outrage and condemnation of your recent declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State and the subsequent suspension of the democratically elected governor, His Excellency Sir Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor, Professor Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.”

The group accused Tinubu of violating constitutional procedures under Section 305(3) of the 1999 Constitution, which they said only permits emergency declarations under specific circumstances such as war, external aggression, or a breakdown of public order that overwhelms law enforcement.

“This action reflects a blatant disregard for the constitutional rights of the people of Rivers State and is a gross abuse of executive power. It is not only dangerously unconstitutional but also undermines the democratic principles upon which our nation is built,” the letter continued.

The signatories alleged the emergency rule amounted to federal overreach and an erosion of democratic norms, calling for a comprehensive investigation into those who advised the President.

“We urge you to respect the quasi-autonomy of Rivers State and allow the democratic process to proceed without interference. The people of Rivers State have the right to self-determination and to choose their leaders without external influence,” the group concluded.

Former members of the 7th National Assembly elected under the now-defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) have distanced themselves from former Attorney General Abubakar Malami and ex-Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai over allegations of plotting to unseat President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

At a press briefing held in Abuja on Wednesday, the ex-lawmakers made it clear that Malami and El-Rufai lacked the legitimacy to represent the CPC’s legacy.

They insisted that only elected officials of the former CPC held the right to speak on the party’s behalf.

Nasiru Ila, who led the delegation, sharply criticised Malami for undermining the leadership of former Nasarawa State Governor Tanko Al-Makura.

Malami had earlier dismissed Al-Makura’s CPC faction and claimed that only the faction aligned with former President Muhammadu Buhari—which included himself—had the authority to interact with the new opposition coalition led by ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar and El-Rufai.

Responding to that assertion, Ila, a former Senior Special Assistant to Buhari on National Assembly Matters, stated “Neither Malami nor any group outside the elected CPC representatives had the authority to speak on behalf of the party.”

He went further to highlight their electoral mandate “We, the former elected members of the CPC from the 7th Assembly and many more who stood for elections, won and were subsequently robbed of their hard-earned, hard-won, yet short-lived victories, remain the only legitimate and authentic voice of the defunct CPC.”

“We are the true custodians of the party’s legacy and the representatives of the twelve million Nigerians, predominantly in northern Nigeria, who entrusted us with their mandate.”

Aliyu Gedin, another former CPC legislator, voiced dismay over what he described as marginalisation of their group, though he reaffirmed their allegiance to the APC.

He lamented that the party had become infiltrated by individuals without the foundational ties or values of the legacy party.

“However, it does not negate the fact that we are bona fide members of the APC. Political parties are supposed to nurture those who invested in them, but we still have a situation where we have usurpers, interlopers, and criminals jumping in through the window,” Gedin said.

He added: “I will not sit down here and say we are okay with the government. It has never been my nature. It is not the nature of the CPC.”

“Certainly, it is not the nature or in our DNA to shy away from the truth. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is doing right in a lot of things, but there is still room to improve. There’s still room for correction.”

Other prominent attendees at the briefing included Senator Ibrahim Musa, Ibrahim Gobir, Sanusi Aliyu, Mohammed Tukur (Katsina Central), Senator Ahmed Sani, Ibrahim Chachangi, Yusuf Bala, and Garuba Datti, who served as the 7th Assembly Caucus Leader and is now APC National Vice Chairman (North-West).