Former Senator and women’s rights advocate, Florence Ita-Giwa, has called on political parties across Nigeria to ensure women are not sidelined in the ongoing preparations for candidate selection ahead of future elections, urging deliberate inclusion of women in elective positions at all levels.
In a strongly worded appeal to party leaders and stakeholders, the elder stateswoman said women must be given fair and genuine opportunities to contest elective offices rather than being treated as an afterthought during political negotiations and consensus arrangements.
She specifically urged political parties to reserve at least one constituency for women in local government areas with two constituencies, stressing that the move would create equitable access without automatically allocating seats.
“This is not about automatic allocation, but about ensuring women have a fair and genuine opportunity to contest and emerge,” Ita-Giwa stated.
The former lawmaker further insisted that women should not be limited to state assembly considerations alone, but must also be seriously considered for seats in the House of Representatives and Senate.
“Women must not be treated as an afterthought in political negotiations and consensus arrangements,” she said.
Invoking constitutional guarantees, Ita-Giwa reminded political actors that every Nigerian has the right to vote and be voted for, adding that such rights must be reflected in practice and not merely exist on paper.
“Women are not just voters; we are stakeholders in nation-building. It is time for deliberate inclusion, not symbolic gestures.”
Her call comes amid renewed advocacy for increased female representation in Nigeria’s political leadership, where women remain significantly underrepresented despite making up nearly half of the country’s population. Nigeria currently has one of the lowest rates of women’s parliamentary representation globally, with women occupying less than five percent of seats in the National Assembly.
Stakeholders and advocacy groups have repeatedly argued that structural barriers within political parties, including male-dominated negotiations and costly nomination processes, continue to hinder women’s emergence in elective politics.
Ita-Giwa therefore urged party leaders to act with equity and foresight, warning that meaningful democracy cannot thrive where half of the population is excluded from leadership.
Her remarks add to growing national calls for stronger affirmative measures to boost women’s participation in governance ahead of the 2027 election cycle.