Abuja: A coalition of women-led civil society organisations in Nigeria is demanding urgent electoral reforms ahead of the 2027 general elections, following a post-primary audit that exposed a severe gender gap. They made the demand in a statement signed by the Voice of Women Empowerment Foundation (VOWEF), Women in Politics Forum (WIPF), EneObi Centre for Development (ECD), and Gender Strategy Advancement International (GSAI) in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the coalition highlighted exclusionary practices in party primaries across 22 political parties and advocated for policy, institutional, and legislative interventions to address the issue. Ms Bukky Shonibare, the Executive Director of Invictus Africa, noted persistent structural barriers against women, including forced withdrawals, opaque ‘consensus’ arrangements, and last-minute candidate substitutions.
Shonibare reported that only three of the 22 political parties achieved female aspirant participation above 20 percent, with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) recording 28.2 percent, the Young Progressives Party (YPP) 22.2 percent, and the Youth Party (YP) 20 percent. Other parties recorded significantly lower figures, including the National Rescue Movement (NRM) with 11.8 percent, the All Progressives Congress (APC) with 10.4 percent, and the NNPPP with 0.0 percent.
Only three women emerged as senatorial candidates across all 22 parties, she warned, indicating that women might occupy just 2.7 percent of seats in the Senate after the 2027 elections. Mrs Toun Sonaiya, Co-founder and Executive Director of VOWEF, described the primaries as a system of entrenched exclusion, cautioning that ‘gatekeeping has become institutionalised’ within political party structures.
She stressed the necessity of urgent intervention to prevent a decline in women’s political representation in 2027 compared to 2023, urging immediate corrective measures within political institutions. Mr Austin Aigbe, a gender equity advocate, identified the Special Seats Bill as the most viable legal solution to address the imbalance, underscoring the need for legal reform beyond advocacy.
Cynthia Mbamalu of Yiaga Africa urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish comprehensive gender-disaggregated reports on party primaries and candidate selection processes to enhance transparency and accountability. Adaora Sydney-Jack of GSAI remarked on the structural and political nature of women’s exclusion, asserting that Nigeria’s challenge is not due to a lack of capacity or qualified women.
Ebere Ifendu, National President of WIPF, called on political parties to enforce internal democratic rules and ensure accountability for violence, intimidation, and discrimination against female aspirants. Ene Obi of the ECD advocated for stronger investment in women’s political empowerment and full implementation of existing affirmative action commitments and judicial rulings.
Abosede Ogan of Women’s Initiatives for Leadership Advancement (WILAN) called for sustained efforts to strengthen women’s political, economic, institutional, and narrative power through technology, leadership development, funding support, and grassroots mobilisation. The coalition urged President Bola Tinubu to support the passage of the Special Seats Bill, describing it as a necessary democratic correction rather than a form of charity.
They also demanded that political parties adopt a policy requiring female deputy governorship candidates alongside male governorship candidates in the 2027 elections to enhance inclusion. The group issued a seven-point charter of demands to political parties, INEC, and the Federal Government, including the publication of gender-disaggregated data, elimination of backdoor exclusions, enforcement of internal party democracy, and adoption of female deputy governorship candidates.
It further called on INEC to strengthen oversight mechanisms and urged the President to influence the passage of the Special Seats Bill as a temporary corrective measure to address systemic imbalance. The coalition, while reaffirming that women’s political inclusion remains a democratic imperative, pledged to continue monitoring the 2027 electoral process, documenting exclusionary practices, and holding political actors accountable.