General News
Reps, TSO Foundation push for 74 NASS, 108 state assembly special seats for women
By Saint Mugaga
The House of Representatives, the TSO Foundation and the National Secretariat for the Reserved Seats for Women Bill Campaign Coalition pushed for 74 National Assembly and 108 state assembly reserved seats for women.
If the bill is passed and signed into law, the National Assembly will have 543 members made up of 397 in the House and 146 in the Senate.
Spokesperson for the House, Hon. Akin Rotimi and the founder of TSO Foundation and convener of the National Secretariat for the Reserved Seats for Women Bill Campaign Coalition, Chief Osasu Igbinedion Ogwuche canvassed this at a media parley with National Assembly Press Corps for strengthening reporting on the Reserved Seats for Women Bill in Abuja on Friday.
In his remarks, Hon. Akin Rotimi, who is a co-sponsor of the bill said the time has come for the inequality suffered by women to be corrected.
The bill proposes the creation of one seat for each State of the Federation and the FCT in the Senate (37 additional seats); one seat for each State of the Federation and the FCT in the House of Representatives (37 additional seats); three seat (one per Senatorial Zone) for each State House of Assembly (108 additional seats).
In her welcome address, the Chief executive of TOS Foundation and convener, Reserved Seats for Women Bill Campaign Coalition, Chief Osasu Igbinedion Ogwuche said the issue of reserved seats is not about women but about Nigeria.
She said it is not right for Nigeria, being the giant of Africa be lagging behind in women representation in the parliament when smaller nations are doing better.
“We can’t call ourselves the Giants of Africa and be performing so poorly when it comes to women in government.
“I was speaking with the Speaker of the South Sudan House of Representatives the other day. This is a country that was torn into pieces by war. And you have women leading where it matters. These women rebuilt their countries”.
She lamented that it is wrong for women to make up about 49% of the population and constitute 47% of registered voters, yet, hold less than 5% of elective positions.
She appealed to the media to escalate the advocacy adding that the TSO Foundation is conscious of the media role in influencing policy formulation and public opinion and that informed the decision to sponsor the training.
Chief Ogwuche said as the National Assembly votes on the constitution amendment report on 16th December, the lawmakers should place Nigeria on the world map by giving women their due recognition by endorsing the Reserved Seats Bill.
In a presentation titled “Understanding the Reserved Seats Bill for Women”, Special Adviser (Legislative) to the Deputy Speaker, Dr. Chidozie Aja said it is important to note that even if additional 74 seats are granted in the Senate and House of Representatives, bringing the total number of seats to 543, it means that Nigeria will only secure 13.6% women representation in the National Assembly.
He said “In the House of Representatives today, only 17 of 360 seats are occupied by women and in the Senate, just 3 of 109 seats. This places Nigeria among the lowest globally in terms of female legislative representation (4.7%, ranking 184th globally), behind countries with smaller economies, fewer resources, and younger democracies.
He explained that the Reserved Seats for Women Bill is not another attempt at tokenism but “it is a structural correction and a democratic innovation designed to level the playing field”.
He stressed that the Reserved seats “Will not replace existing seats but will expand representation to create room for women at the table of decision-making. It is important, also to note that political parties will field only female candidates for these seats.
“It is meant to last for 4 election cycle of 16 years in all. It is a temporary special measure (TSM).
“The bill seeks to alter Sections 48, 49, 71, 77, 91 and 117 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999; and more recently recommended alteration of Section 42”.
In her paper titled “Media framing and narrative building”, Dr. Adaora Sidney-Jack of AIT said some headlines are being circumvented to relegate women to the background.
She advised the media to eschew stereotypes often bandied about women and balance up their reports advising that it should be based on facts, research unbiased and unemotional.
She noted that the bill is not sensational. “This is a policy document and policy is about humanity. And as our job as media people, that’s how we need to do that narrative”. She stated.
By Nick Ibe, Abuja
To cushion the harsh impact of rising living costs, the Federal Government has approved a N70,000 monthly transport intervention for public service workers across all levels for six months, beginning in November 2026, .
This was one of the outcomes of the conciliation meeting between the Federal Government and the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, in Abuja on Tuesday, following renewed pressure from organised labour over the rising cost of living, workers’ welfare and outstanding agreements.
The government also approved the payment of peculiar allowance arrears, effective from May 1, 2026, in three equal monthly instalments beginning in November.
The parties did not agree on the effective date for implementing the national minimum wage, but agreed that the Minimum Wage Negotiation Committee would be constituted and commence meetings immediately.
The resolutions were contained in a memorandum of understanding signed at the end of the meeting by the Director-General of Budget, Timi Yakubu; NLC President, Joe Ajaero; the Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare Office, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Garba Abdul S.U.; and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi.
The document made public after the meeting was tagged: ‘Resolutions Reached at a Conciliation Meeting Held at Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment Between the Federal Government and the Leadership of Nigeria Labour Congress on Tuesday, 27th October, 2026’, outlined agreements on minimum wage negotiations, transport support, outstanding allowances, health workers’ remuneration, tax relief and hazard allowances for agricultural officers.
The meeting followed an earlier conciliation session held on October 22, 2026, convened by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment to address disagreements between the government and organised labour.
On the transport intervention, the document stated, “That transport intervention of Seventy Thousand Naira (N70,000) commencing from November 2026 would be paid across all levels for a period of six months.”
The agreement trails high transportation costs and the prices of other essential goods following the removal of the petrol subsidy in May 2023, by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Organised labour has repeatedly demanded measures to ease the economic pressure on workers, including reductions in petrol prices, improved wages and the implementation of outstanding welfare agreements.
The memorandum also noted the NLC leadership’s concerns about the government’s handling of its demands.
Addressing the disagreement, it stated that the NLC leadership “expressed concern over the Federal Government’s attitude towards the above issues.”
It added that the Federal Government, in response, “stated that it fully respects the right of the Congress to advocate for improved working conditions for Nigerian workers, and is genuinely trying to address every aspect of it through a structured intervention.”
On the national minimum wage, the parties agreed that the Minimum Wage Negotiation Committee would be constituted and commence meetings immediately.
However, the effective date of implementation remained unresolved.
The document stated, “It was agreed that the Minimum Wage Negotiation Committee would be constituted and commence meeting immediately. It should however be noted that there is a disagreement on the effective date of implementation.”
The disagreement leaves a key issue outstanding despite the commitment to begin negotiations without delay.
The national minimum wage became a major issue in 2024 when the Federal Government and organised labour negotiated an increase in the statutory minimum monthly wage from N30,000 to N70,000. The new rate was subsequently enacted into law through the National Minimum Wage Act.
The latest agreement refers to further discussions and the implementation date of the national minimum wage but does not provide details of the specific proposal under consideration or when the parties expect to conclude the negotiations.
The agreement indicates that while the government has approved some financial interventions, other workers’ demands remain subject to further negotiations, administrative verification or decisions by relevant government bodies.
“Trump… Please bring my son back to me. I am begging you for mercy.” And what Trump did when he heard those words… may bring tears to your eyes.
Her name was Malphine. She was 95 years old. A mother who had spent years waiting. Hoping. Praying. And one day… she finally got the chance to meet Trump. And stood before him. With all the strength she had left. And spoke the only words in her heart. Please. Bring my son home.
And Trump looked at this 95-year-old mother. Held her hands. And gave her a promise. I will bring your son home.
And Malphine held on to that promise. The way only a mother of 95 can hold on to something. When hope is all she has left.
Days went by. Weeks went by. And then one morning… the news finally arrived. Her son Marc was coming home. After years away. After years inside a foreign prison. After years of a mother waking up every single day, wondering whether she would ever get to hold her child again.
He stepped off that plane. And returned home. And when Marc’s feet finally touched American soil… Trump was there. In person. To welcome him. To embrace him. To look him in the eyes and say… welcome home. America has not forgotten you.
And in that single embrace…
Trump showed the world something that no speech and no rally could ever truly express: That America cares about its people. Wholeheartedly. Unconditionally. And never gives up fighting for them.
And today… I sat thinking about that story. And remembered every harsh word I had ever spoken about this man. Every judgment. Every doubt. Every moment I chose to look away. And I felt something I can hardly describe. Deep shame.
Because Malphine trusted Trump at 95 years old. With all the hope she had left. And he helped bring her son home.
Today… this is the side of Trump that so many people may never take the time to see.
Not the Trump in the headlines. Not the Trump on the rally stage. Just a man. Who listened to a 95-year-old mother pleading for her son. Worked to help answer her prayers. And personally showed up to welcome him home.
If this story touched your heart today… let God and every American reading this feel your .
And tell me honestly, in your own words — after reading this… can you still speak badly about President Trump? Because I truly find it difficult to do so. Not anymore. Not after hearing this story.
Sons of Liberty. Maga Movement
–Calls for NSCDC reforms, compensation for victims
By Son Tertsea, Abuja
Dehydration was cause of the death of the detained miners, the panel constituted to investigate the deaths of alleged illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Niger State Command, has stated.
The chairman of the committee, Jonathan Kure, while presenting the report to the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, in Abuja on Tuesday, , said the miners suffered acute respiratory failure.
He also corrected the earlier reports that 37 miners died in custódy, saying 33 miners were confirmed dead.
He said the miners collapsed after calling for water and were ignored by the personnel of the NSCDC.
He added that the detention room was overcrowded and poorly ventilated.
He said the miners were illegally arrested and detained, stressing that they were all detained beyond the legally allowed period.
Part of the panel’s report called for a total reform of the NSCDC as well as solicited compensation for the victims.
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