…says Nigeria’s 4% female representation a national disgrace

By Joseph Erunke, Abuja

The Founder of TOS Foundation Africa, Chief Mrs. Osasu Igbinedion Ogwuche, has accused Nigeria’s political parties of systematically shutting women out of leadership positions ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that ongoing party primaries are being manipulated to favour male candidates.

In a strongly worded advocacy piece titled “Party Primaries Are Shutting Women Out of Leadership and No One Is Talking About It,” Ogwuche said women across major political parties, including the APC, PDP, SDP and ADC, are being pressured to step down for consensus candidates before contests even begin.

According to her, the trend exposes deep structural discrimination against women in Nigeria’s political system and validates growing calls for constitutional reforms to guarantee female representation in governance.

“Nigeria currently ranks 180th out of 185 countries in women’s parliamentary representation, below several conflict-ridden nations,” she said, lamenting that women occupy only four per cent of seats in the National Assembly compared to the global average of 26.9 per cent.

Ogwuche argued that the exclusion of women from politics is not merely a gender issue but a major national and economic setback.

She cited global studies showing that increased female participation in governance leads to stronger institutions, reduced corruption, improved social welfare policies and economic growth.

“For Nigeria specifically, closing the gender gap in political participation could inject an estimated $229 billion into the economy,” she stated.

The TOS Foundation founder also decried the stalled Reserved Seats for Women Bill currently before the National Assembly, despite endorsements from President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, governors and several political stakeholders.

The proposed constitutional amendment seeks to create additional legislative seats reserved exclusively for women at national and state assemblies.

Ogwuche said the delay in passing the bill raises serious questions about the political establishment’s commitment to gender inclusion.

“If endorsements from the President, Vice President and top legislative leaders cannot move the bill forward, then we must ask how serious Nigeria truly is about empowering women politically,” she said.

Drawing comparisons with Rwanda, Senegal, Bolivia and the United Arab Emirates, she noted that countries that adopted gender quotas and reserved seats recorded dramatic increases in female representation in governance.

She further alleged that women aspiring for office in Nigeria face voter bias, financial exclusion, intimidation and internal party gatekeeping at levels rarely experienced by men.

According to her, only 179 women emerged victorious across all legislative positions during the 2023 general elections out of over 1,000 seats contested nationwide.

Ogwuche urged women in politics not to surrender their ambitions under pressure from party power blocs.

“To women with the appetite to lead: do not step down. Document everything. Build coalitions. Make noise. The system will not reform itself unless it is pressured,” she declared.

She also challenged political leaders who publicly support women inclusion to match their endorsements with concrete legislative action.

“The cost of leaving women out of governance is not just a gender issue. It is a national loss Nigeria can no longer afford,” she added.