1,556 of the 15,331 candidates who contested the 2023 General Election were women, representing 10.2 per cent
By Mmesoma Onwuka
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on political parties to move beyond rhetoric and take concrete, measurable steps to improve women’s participation and representation in Nigeria’s political process ahead of the 2027 General Elections.
The Commission made the call at a high-level engagement with political parties on strengthening women’s political participation in Abuja, attended by political party leaders, development partners, women’s organisations, civil society groups and other electoral stakeholders.
Delivering a welcome address on behalf of the Secretary to the Commission, Dr. Rose Anthony Orianran, the Director of the Gender and Inclusivity Department, Mrs. Lakunuya Dorothy Bello, said women had continued to participate actively as voters but remained significantly underrepresented as candidates and elected officials.
Bello disclosed that only 1,556 of the 15,331 candidates who contested the 2023 General Election were women, representing 10.2 per cent.
She added that only three women were elected to the Senate and 16 to the House of Representatives during the election.
According to her, the figures highlight the urgent need for political parties and other stakeholders to address the structural, financial and social barriers limiting women’s participation in politics.
Declaring the engagement open on behalf of the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, National Commissioner Prof. (Mrs.) Rhoda Habor Gumus said the Chairman was absent due to another national assignment.
Gumus reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to promoting an inclusive democratic process, noting that women accounted for 47.5 per cent of registered voters in the 2023 General Election.
She further noted that women constituted the majority of registrants during the final phase of the recently concluded Continuous Voter Registration exercise.
However, she said the strong participation of women as voters had yet to translate into comparable representation in elective positions.
The National Commissioner challenged political parties to deliberately create opportunities for women by ensuring equitable access to party structures, campaign financing, media exposure, logistics, mentoring, security, fundraising networks and grassroots mobilisation.
She stressed that promoting women’s political leadership should be viewed as an investment in the future of Nigeria’s democracy rather than a concession.
Gumus also urged political parties to strengthen internal mechanisms to protect women from intimidation, discrimination and political violence, while developing sustainable pathways for women to emerge as leaders beyond the 2027 elections.
The engagement also attracted goodwill messages from national and international organisations working to promote greater political participation for women.
Representing the Director General of the Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development, Dr. Adedayo Benjamins Laniyi, Mrs. Ijeoma Duru expressed concern over the declining number of women emerging from political party primaries.
Duru urged political parties to provide female candidates with adequate organisational support, including dedicated campaign financing, media visibility, security and institutional backing.
She also renewed the call for the passage of the Special/Reserved Seats Bill, describing affirmative action as necessary to reverse the decline in women’s representation.
She said the Centre, in partnership with UN Women, would continue supporting female candidates through digital resource centres established across the country.
In a goodwill message delivered on behalf of the UN Women Country Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ms. Beatrice Eyong, Dr. Susan Agada commended INEC for convening the engagement.
Agada said women’s political participation remained crucial to democratic governance, sustainable development and peace, while identifying structural barriers, discriminatory norms, inadequate political financing and electoral violence as some of the major challenges confronting women in politics.
She called on political parties to adopt gender-responsive policies, ensure transparent nomination processes, create safe political environments and invest in the development of female aspirants and leaders.
She assured participants of UN Women’s continued support through advocacy, capacity building and strategic partnerships.
Also speaking, Mr. Adebowale Olorunloshola of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy expressed concern over Nigeria’s poor ranking globally on women’s political representation despite women accounting for almost half of the electorate.
He called for stronger engagement with political party decision-makers, particularly those responsible for determining candidates, urging them to embrace gender-inclusive politics.
However, the Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, Dr. Yusuf Mamman Dantalle, disagreed with claims that women’s involvement in the 2027 electoral process had declined.
Dantalle said available data should be properly examined before conclusions were reached, noting that some women had received support from political parties while others had relied on personal resources and efforts to participate in the political process.