Sen. Dickson declares full support for special seats Bill ….Calls women’s inclusion “national imperative”

Former Bayelsa State Governor and Senator representing Bayelsa West SenatorialDistrict, Seriake Dickson, has thrown his weight behind the proposed Special Seats Bill aimed at expanding women’s representation in Nigeria’s political structure.

The lawmaker said the initiative should apply not only at the federal level but also across state and local government systems.

Speaking through his verifiable Facebook account, Senator Dickson described the bill as a necessary step toward correcting the gender imbalance in governance and strengthening national development.

His words: ”I am in full support of this proposal to give women increased power, a stronger voice, and greater inclusiveness in nation-building.

”Any society that wants to make sustainable development and progress must give priority to the protection, promotion, and empowerment of its women, ” he said.

He further said, ”I have been a promoter of women throughout my political life. As Governor, I adopted an affirmative action policy of over 30 per cent which placed women in leadership across all strata of government, especially at the local government level, while also giving them appointments at the state level.

”I know the benefits; I saw the benefits, and I strongly support the bill. Women must be given space to lead,” Dickson added.

The senator argued that no country can achieve sustainable progress without prioritising the empowerment and inclusion of its female population.

He maintained that enhancing women’s political visibility is not simply a matter of fairness but a strategic investment in Nigeria’s democratic growth.

According to him, a society that hopes to develop must deliberately protect, promote and empower its women,” adding that the bill provides a structured opportunity to do so.

Dickson highlighted his history of advancing women’s participation in public life, recalling that during his tenure as governor of Bayelsa State he implemented an affirmative action policy that ensured women occupied over 30 per cent of leadership positions.

This, he said, extended across state ministries, local government councils and other public institutions.

He noted that the results were clear: improved governance, stronger community engagement and greater policy responsiveness.

The senator also referenced his political decisions in the late 1990s, including backing Dr. Stella Dorgu as the Alliance for Democracy governorship candidate and later supporting her successful bid to the House of Representatives for his own constituency.

He said, ”competent women exist in every community. ”

Dickson stressed that Nigeria is not suffering a shortage of qualified women, pointing to Hon. Alice Tangi, the elected chairperson of his local council, as an example.

Tangi, who is the first woman to hold the position in his senatorial district, is among the few female council chairpersons in Bayelsa State, a development he said demonstrates women’s capability when given a chance.

“These are our mothers, sisters and daughters.

”“They are part of our communities, not outsiders. They deserve the same opportunities to contribute to national affairs, ” he said.

The senator lamented that Nigeria ranks poorly in women’s political participation, even when compared to other African countries.

He insisted that the country must reverse this trend, warning that continued underrepresentation undermines democratic legitimacy and weakens national policy outcomes

While firmly supporting the bill, Dickson acknowledged that the specific mode of implementation such as the number of seats, method of allocation and transitional arrangements, may require broad national consultation.

However, he urged all stakeholders to unite behind the core objective: increasing women’s political participation.

“We can debate the mechan“but the principle of empowering women should command universal agreement.”

Dickson reaffirmed that he would vote for the legislation when it comes before the Senate.

He reiterated that Nigeria’s democracy stands to benefit significantly from amplifying women’s voices at all levels of governance.