Urgent Call for Electoral Reform as Women Candidates Drop

A coalition of civil society organizations in Nigeria has reported that only three women emerged as senatorial candidates from 22 political parties for the 2027 elections, revealing a severe gender gap. Ms.

Bukki Shonibar, Executive Director of Invictus Africa, noted that the current trajectory could result in women holding just 2.7% of Senate seats. The People's Democratic Party (PDP) had the highest female aspirant participation at 28.2%, followed by the Young Progressives Party (YPP) at 22.2%, while the All Progressives Congress (APC) recorded only 10.4%.

The coalition, which includes the Voice Women Empower Foundation and the Women Political Forum, is calling for immediate legislative interventions to reverse this trend. Mr.

Toun Sonaiya, co-founder of the Voice Women Empower Foundation, warned that without urgent reforms, women's political representation will worsen compared to 2023. The coalition is urging President Bola Tinubu to support the passage of a special seat bill to enhance women's inclusion in politics.