*Only 9.6% of candidates are women*Groups call for deliberate commitment to gender balance
Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja and Sunday Ehigiator in Lagos
Ahead of the 2027 general election, the final lists of all the candidates cleared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have shown that women remain significantly underrepresented among the candidates vying for various elective positions, constituting only 9.65 per cent, far below the 35 per cent affirmative action.
The data from the final lists of candidates recently published by the electoral body indicated that a total of 4,881 candidates were cleared for the three elections.
However, of this number, 471 are women, representing 9.65 per cent, while 4,410 are men, representing 90.35 per cent.
A further breakdown of the lists by category showed a huge gap among the National Assembly candidates.
For the presidential election, out of 18 candidates, only two are women, representing 11.11 per cent, whereas 16 are men, representing 88.89 per cent.
The two female presidential candidates are Okwori Fredrick of the National Democratic Party (NDP) and Okereke Esther of the National Rescue Movement (NRM).
Similarly, for the senatorial election, 1,303 candidates were cleared by INEC, out of which 123 are women, representing 9.44 per cent, while 1,180 are men, representing 90.56 per cent.
Also, for the House of Representatives, a total of 3,560 candidates were cleared by the commission, out of which 346 are women, constituting 9.72 per cent, whereas 3,214 are men, constituting 90.28 per cent.
Analysis of the 123 female senatorial candidates shows that Akwa Ibom has the highest number, with 10 candidates, followed by Rivers, Osun and Kwara states, with seven candidates each.
The seven female candidates for Kwara State are Temako Naomi, Ibrahim Ramat, Owolabi Felicia, Adesola Kehinde, Abdulahi Motunrayo, Abdulkarim-Adisa Maryam Ayoola-Fadekemi and Anifowoshe Grace.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has four female senatorial candidates, including Omotosho Ololade, Ireti Kingibe, Austenpeters-Pam Amanda and Benyeogor Ufedojo.
However, several states have only one female senatorial candidate, including Adamawa (Bagardi Charity); Borno (Baba Gana Zannah); Ebonyi (Nwachi Ude); Ondo (Omolabaro Omotilewa); Sokoto (Abdulrahman Halima); and Kebbi (Kabir Mohammed). Bauchi State has two candidates.
In the same vein, for the House of Representatives, Lagos leads with 31 female candidates, followed by Imo with 21, Anambra with 20, Rivers with 20, Akwa Ibom with 17, Delta with 17 and Oyo with 17.
Kwara State also has 16 female candidates for the Green Chamber, while states like Katsina, Nasarawa and Zamfara have only one female candidate each.
Responding, the Communication Manager, Nigerian Women Trust Fund, Mujidat Agbabiaka, said the data was not simply a question about the number of women appearing on the ballot.
“It raises a broader question about whether the political system is providing women with a genuinely accessible pathway into political leadership. These statistics point to the fact that 471 out of 4,881 candidates are women; that is approximately 9.6 per cent.
“In other words, fewer than one in ten candidates is a woman. That is not simply a question about the number of women appearing on the ballot; it raises a broader question about whether the political system is providing women with a genuinely accessible pathway into political leadership.
“This is another call that every political party must make a deliberate commitment to more gender balance and inclusion.”
In her contribution, the Project Officer, Renevlyn Development Initiative, Tracy Ohovwore, said: “The minimal inclusion and abysmal representation of women in all strata of government and in political activities in Nigeria is the reflection of a deep and worrying trend in our society. Even when women get slots, such positions are presented as merely ticking off the box, and not necessarily a rightfully deserved position. The implication is that pressing issues concerning women take the back seat and are treated with levity.”
Executive Director, Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), Okechukwu Nwanguma, pointed out that the 9.6 per cent “raises serious concerns about the continuing underrepresentation of women in Nigeria’s political process.”
“For a country in which women constitute roughly half of the population, their persistently low presence among candidates for major elective offices points to structural barriers that continue to restrict equal political participation.
“These include the high cost of electoral politics, unequal access to political networks and campaign financing, discriminatory social attitudes, political violence and intimidation, and internal party processes that may disadvantage women seeking nominations,” he added.
According to him, “Nigeria also needs to revisit broader legal and policy measures aimed at improving women’s political representation, including the continuing debate around special or reserved seats and other affirmative-action mechanisms. Any such measures should be transparently designed and consistent with constitutional and democratic principles.
“The 9.6 per cent figure should therefore prompt serious reflection about the inclusiveness of Nigeria’s democracy. Elections should provide meaningful opportunities for every segment of society to participate, compete and be represented.”