The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has called for enhanced collaboration between Nigeria and the United States to support ongoing efforts aimed at advancing gender equity and constitutional reform, particularly in the area of electoral inclusion.
Mr Kalu made this appeal on Wednesday during a meeting with a delegation from the United States Embassy in Nigeria, led by Political Counsellor Mr David Frost and Cassandra Carrony, at the National Assembly in Abuja.
Speaking in his capacity as Chair of the House Committee on Constitution Review, the Deputy Speaker outlined key areas of proposed collaboration: technical support, advocacy, and capacity building.
“We seek the support of the U.S. Embassy in sharing technical expertise and comparative insights into gender-responsive electoral systems,” he said. “Let us understand how you achieved success in this area. We also seek support to enhance advocacy efforts and broaden stakeholder engagement with civil society, the media, and political parties.”
Mr Kalu proposed the co-creation of a Women’s Legislative Leadership Programme aimed at preparing future female lawmakers for leadership roles. He stressed that existing U.S. structures could be adapted to fit Nigeria’s unique context and help drive meaningful change.
He also mentioned that the committee was considering assigning constitutional roles to traditional rulers in order to foster national unity and cohesion.
Highlighting the committee’s priorities, Mr Kalu said key areas under review include women’s participation in governance, judicial reform, local government autonomy, and youth inclusion. He expressed concern about the current underrepresentation of women in political leadership, noting that women hold only 4% of legislative seats across the country.
“In states such as Kano and Sokoto, there is no female representation in the State Assemblies,” he said. “This is not only a failure of representation but also a failure of justice.”
To address this imbalance, Mr Kalu revealed that the committee has proposed a constitutional amendment to create Special Seats for women. The Special Seats Bill (HB 1349) aims to temporarily reserve 182 additional legislative seats for women: 37 in the Senate, 37 in the House of Representatives, and 108 in State Assemblies.
“This bill will serve as a 16-year temporary measure to tackle systemic barriers such as financial exclusion, electoral violence, and deeply entrenched patriarchal norms,” he explained.
Mr Kalu also disclosed that zonal public hearings on thematic areas of the constitution review would soon commence across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. He assured the U.S. delegation that broad-based public engagement was a cornerstone of the committee’s work.
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“Our constitutional review is not merely a legislative function. It is a moral covenant with future generations,” he stated. “With the U.S. Embassy’s partnership, we can transform Nigeria’s next Constitution into a model of equity, security, and prosperity.”
He proposed the establishment of a Nigeria-U.S. Governance Innovation Hub to co-create reform strategies and host joint workshops on state policing models and gender-responsive budgeting.
“Together, we can write a new chapter in Nigeria’s democratic story—one in which democracy delivers, institutions endure, and no citizen is left behind,” Mr Kalu added.
In response, the U.S. delegation said their visit aimed to explore possible areas of collaboration with the Deputy Speaker’s office, particularly in relation to the ongoing constitution review process.
“We had a brief encounter with the Deputy Speaker during a PLAC-hosted event on local government autonomy at the Hilton. Today, we are here to further our collaboration, particularly on the work of the Constitution Review Committee,” the U.S. representatives noted.
They reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining engagement with the National Assembly and supporting Nigeria’s democratic development through strategic partnerships.
