The President of the Senate Godswill Akpabio, has called for a review of the relevant sections of the constitution to build an all-inclusive approach to women’s political participation in the country.
Represented by the Senate’s Chief Whip, Senator Tahir Monguno, Akpabio said the meeting with political stakeholders was to birth democratic reforms across many layers.
He made these remarks on Monday in Abuja at a consultative session with national chairmen, secretaries, and women leaders of registered political parties in Nigeria.
He said, “We are gathered to examine the heartbeats of our republic on issues of justice, security, inclusion, and accountability. The issues before us are judicial and electoral reforms, local government autonomy, special seats for women, state policing, and human rights. These are not items on a checklist; they are the pillars of a nation still under construction. Each one of them speaks to a larger question: how do we make democracy not only endure but deliver?
“An election is not a ceremony; it is the soul of democracy. And justice is not a luxury; it is the backbone of peace. When elections fail, trust dies. When justice delays, faith decays. That is why we must renew both our ballots and our benches. We must strengthen the Independent National Electoral Commission, shield our courts from corruption, and restore the people’s confidence in their institutions. In India, reforms make voting accessible even in the remotest villages. In South Africa, the constitution enshrines judicial independence as sacred.”
He added that Nigeria “Can do the same – not by copying others, but by perfecting ourselves.”
According to Akpabio, “True federalism begins at the grassroots. If the government does not work in the village, it has failed in the capital. We must free our local governments from the chains of dependency. Development must have a human face — and that face must be visible in every ward, every street, every home.
“And what of the women of Nigeria- the pillars of every family, the architects of every community? A democracy that sidelines its women weakens itself.
“Across the world, the evidence is clear: in Rwanda, women lead more than sixty per cent of parliament; in Finland, women shape policy and governance with distinction. Where women rise, nations thrive. It is time for Nigeria to move from the language of sympathy to the policy of inclusion.”
On security, the Senate President stated, “A nation as vast as ours cannot be protected from a single command post. The call for state policing is not rebellion; it is realism. In the United States, in India, and even in Brazil, local policing works side by side with national forces – coordinated, not conflicting.
“But in seeking safety, we must not sacrifice freedom. The hand that guards must not gag. The shield of the state must never become a sword against its citizens.”
In his contribution, the Inter-Party Advisory Council, represented by its Deputy National Chairman, Dipo Olayoku, pledged its commitment to a fair and transparent electoral process even as it called for a review of the Electoral Act, 2022.
He said, “IPAC has been at the vanguard for constitution and Electoral Act Amendments with a view to consolidating, deepening and strengthening the nation’s democracy. This is imperative after flaws were witnessed in each election cycle.
“As the platform that produces all elected public officers, IPAC is committed to ensuring that the electoral process is fair, transparent and inclusive, and all political parties are given a level playing field in electoral contests.
“We believe that a revised Electoral Act and constitution amendments preceding the 2027 general election will address identified concerns as well as significantly enhance the credibility and integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process, promote political stability and strengthen democratic governance.”
IPAC also called for the Scrapping of the State Independent Electoral Commissions and vesting the responsibility of conducting all 774 Local Government Areas elections on INEC.
It also called for the removal of the power to appoint the Chairman of INEC, the Commission Secretary and National Commissioners from the executive to “Promote the independence of the Commission.”
Others are “Setting up of an Independent Appointment Committee composed of representatives from all registered political parties and civil society organisations, the National Judicial Council and a Committee of the National Assembly to be appointed by both the majority and minority arms of the Senate and House of Representatives, thereby ensuring that all parties have representatives in the Independent Appointment Committee.
IPAC also called for the restoration of funding of political parties, “To provide for a level playing ground for all political parties.”
The amendment should provide a mechanism to ensure that political parties maintain transparent financial records and accounting practices.
On filling vacant seats arising from defection or death, Olayoku argued that “Any seat vacated due to decamping or death should be filled by the original winning political party through a replacement process, rather than a very expensive torturous election.”
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