In a renewed call for gender inclusivity and equitable political representation, top Nigerian government officials and political leaders have proposed a transformative policy that would make it mandatory for all presidential and gubernatorial candidates to have female running mates. The proposal, which received widespread support at the just-concluded Conference of Political Women Leaders in Abuja, aims to address Nigeria’s chronic underrepresentation of women in elective offices.
The two-day event, organised by the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in collaboration with the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), brought together key stakeholders including the Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim; Federal Capital Territory Senator, Ireti Kingibe; and the APC Deputy National Woman Leader, Zainab Ibrahim, among others.
Speaking at the forum, Minister Sulaiman-Ibrahim stressed that the time had come for Nigeria to embrace policies that reflect the reality of its demographics. With a population of over 200 million people—nearly half of whom are women—the minister described the nation’s current 4.2% female representation in the National Assembly as “disgracefully low.”
“It must become part of our political philosophy and practice to not only give women party tickets but also support them to win and lead. Inclusive politics is not a favour—it is a necessity for democracy and development,” she said.
Zainab Ibrahim, who also serves as the Deputy National Secretary of IPAC, introduced a practical strategy known as the “twinning method,” which would pair every male candidate for top political offices with a female deputy—and vice versa. According to her, this approach could immediately catapult female political representation to at least 50%.
“If the APC’s 21 governors and the PDP’s 11 adopted the twinning formula, we could have 32 women deputy governors across the country today. That’s not just reaching but exceeding the 35% affirmative action target for women,” she explained. “What we are asking for doesn’t even require legislative hurdles. Political parties can begin this change internally.”
FCT Senator Ireti Kingibe echoed these sentiments, lamenting that women’s voices in Nigerian politics remain woefully underrepresented.
“With only 17 female lawmakers out of 360 in the House of Representatives and just four out of 109 in the Senate, Nigeria ranks among the bottom five countries globally in terms of female political representation,” Kingibe noted. She urged the National Assembly to revisit the Gender Equality Bill and support initiatives that mandate women’s participation in governance.
The Director-General of NIPSS, Prof. Ayo Omotayo, described the gender gap as a democratic deficit that weakens national progress. “Women bring unique perspectives and experiences that are critical to holistic development. Their underrepresentation is not just a gender issue—it’s a governance problem,” he stated.
Stakeholders agreed that while legislative backing would provide stronger enforcement, political parties must lead the change by amending their constitutions and internal policies to guarantee female running mates inclusion. The Inter-Party Advisory Council has been tasked with drafting a unified recommendation that will be presented to the National Assembly.
Nigeria has made some progress in recent years with a few high-profile appointments, but analysts argue that tokenism cannot substitute for institutional change. Women leaders at the conference called on President Bola Tinubu’s administration to lead by example through cabinet reshuffles and inclusive party structures that reflect gender balance.
With the next general elections scheduled for 2027, advocacy groups say the time to act is now. The momentum generated at the conference is expected to build up to a nationwide campaign calling for constitutional, electoral, and party reforms that guarantee women a seat at the political table.