Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, has donated a new bus to the Ekiti State chapter of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) to strengthen its advocacy and legal support for women and children across the state.
Bamidele announced the donation during the 2026 FIDA Ekiti Law Week, held at Afe Babalola Hall of the Ekiti State High Court, Ado-Ekiti. The event was organised under the theme, “Justice in a Changing World: Responding to New Challenges Affecting Women and Children.”
The organisation said the vehicle would assist its members in carrying out advocacy visits, attending court proceedings, sensitising communities and responding to cases involving women and children.
Speaking as the guest speaker, the Senate Leader also called for increased support for the proposed Special Seats Bill, which seeks to address the low representation of women in Nigeria’s legislative institutions.
He urged FIDA and other stakeholders to hold the National Assembly accountable and sustain pressure for the passage of the bill.
Bamidele explained that the proposed constitutional amendment would provide 37 additional seats in the Senate and another 37 in the House of Representatives, with one seat allocated to women in each state and the Federal Capital Territory. It would also create three additional seats for women in every State House of Assembly.
He said the arrangement would not affect existing legislative seats and would operate for 16 years, covering four election cycles, before its impact would be reviewed.
Describing the proposal as an intervention to correct longstanding inequalities in political representation, Bamidele said a democracy that excludes a significant portion of its population from decision-making cannot fully serve the people.
He disclosed that the National Assembly had commenced consultations with State Houses of Assembly to secure the required support for the constitutional amendment.
The Senate Leader also commended the advocacy of the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and said the 10th National Assembly was committed to addressing the historical imbalance in women’s political participation.
Addressing other concerns affecting women and children, Bamidele identified gender-based violence, discrimination, economic exclusion and poor access to healthcare as persistent challenges. He also listed child trafficking, sexual abuse, child labour, early marriage, malnutrition and online exploitation among threats confronting children.
He said poverty, unemployment, educational inequality and weak enforcement of existing laws had further worsened their vulnerability.
Bamidele stressed that passing laws alone would not guarantee justice, insisting that effective implementation, adequate funding and institutional accountability were equally important.
He cited legislative measures, including the four Tax Reform Acts of 2025, which he said exempted sanitary products, baby diapers and other essential items for women and children from Value Added Tax.
He also disclosed that the National Assembly was considering the National Hospital for Women and Children, Abuja (Amendment) Bill, 2026, aimed at strengthening specialised healthcare services for the groups.
Calling for stronger cooperation among government institutions, the judiciary, law enforcement agencies and civil society organisations, Bamidele urged FIDA to engage more actively with lawmakers, identify gaps in existing legislation and monitor the implementation of policies and budgetary provisions.
He challenged the organisation to demand the passage of the Special Seats Bill and ensure that funds approved for child protection and women’s healthcare were actually released and properly utilised.
Earlier, FIDA Ekiti Chairperson, Ayobami Olowoyo-Richards, reaffirmed the association’s commitment to protecting the rights and dignity of women and children.
She said the changing realities of society required stronger laws, institutions and coordinated responses to emerging threats.
In her keynote address, the Vice-Chancellor of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Professor Smaranda Olarinde, warned that advances in technology had created new forms of abuse, including cyberstalking, online harassment, impersonation, deepfake images and the exploitation of children.
Olarinde called for collaboration among government agencies, the judiciary, universities, security institutions, traditional and religious leaders, the media and civil society groups.
She also urged FIDA to translate its advocacy into measurable results, proposing a Women and Children Access to Justice Action Framework to improve legal protection, digital safety and support for survivors.
The event was attended by the Chief Judge of Ekiti State, Justice Lekan Ogunmoye; Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Steve Fatoba; and the Onise of Odo-Oro Ekiti, Oba Babatunde Jemileyin, among other dignitaries.
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