The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, has announced that the House will champion a fresh legislative push to create reserved parliamentary seats for People Living with Disabilities (PWDs), immediately following the passage of the current bill for women's special seats.

Speaker Abbas made this disclosure on Thursday in Abuja during a meeting with a high-level United Nations delegation, led by UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Regional Director for Africa, Ms. Ahunna Eziakonwa, and UNDP Nigeria Resident Representative, Ms. Elsie Attafuah.

Following the constitutional review for women's representation, the House plans to partner with the UNDP to secure reserved, elective seats for PWDs to enhance their political visibility and socio-economic contributions across Nigeria and Africa.

Abbas confirmed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu are "100 percent on board" and actively supporting the constitutional amendment for exclusive women's seats.

To minimize the financial and logistical burdens of electing female lawmakers to these special seats, the House has proposed an electoral college system composed of elected public officers to vote for the candidates.

UN officials commended Speaker Abbas for his courageous leadership in driving transformational, inclusive reforms under the 10th Parliament, noting that Nigeria’s progress on gender equality serves as a vital development template for the rest of Africa.

?"We need to step up and ensure that [persons with disabilities] are given more visibility—more leverage, particularly on elective positions... What we do in Nigeria can resonate throughout Africa."