2027: Only 10% of N’ Assembly Candidates Are Women As GSAI, CISLAC Blame Parties, Demand Reform
Kuni Tyessi in Abuja Ahead of the 2027 general election, only 10.1% of National Assembly candidates are women, a development stakeholders have blamed on the failure of political parties and
Ahead of Nigeria's 2027 general election, just 10.1% of National Assembly candidates are women, according to stakeholders. This low percentage was highlighted at a media conference on Thursday, focusing on 'Beyond Participation: Amplifying Women Candidates, Advancing Political Leadership and Building an Inclusive Nigeria for 2027'.
The Executive Director of Gender Strategy Advancement International (GSAI), Dr. Adaora Sidney-Jack, reported that out of a total of 4,408 candidates, only 443 are women. The situation is 10.2% for the House of Representatives and 9.6% for the Senate. Dr. Sidney-Jack noted that progress has been slow, with some states like Jigawa, Nasarawa, and Yobe having no female senatorial candidates at all.
She pointed out that the issue is not a lack of qualified women, but rather structural barriers within the political system.
The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) echoed these concerns, with the Executive Director, Mr. Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, blaming political parties for the lack of female, youth, and disabled candidates. Rafsanjani urged political parties to take responsibility and not sell expression of interest and nomination forms at exorbitant prices without objection from citizens. He also called for introspection, emphasizing that individuals must actively participate rather than passively demand representation.
Both Dr. Sidney-Jack and Rafsanjani agreed that early preparation is crucial and advocated for encouraging young girls to consider running for positions like Student Union President at an early age, as well as for women to invest in themselves to gain more recognition. They concluded that building an inclusive Nigeria for 2027 requires a shift from mere participation to influence and from presence to power.
Executive Director of Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa, Ezenwa Nwagwu, added that if women continue to be polite in their demands, the next generation may have to resort to more forceful tactics to achieve political inclusion.
Written by urgent.news from This Day's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
