INEC Urges Political Parties to Boost Women's Participation

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on political parties to move beyond rhetoric and implement concrete measures to promote women's participation in Nigeria's political leadership in preparation for the 2027 General Elections. INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, represented by National Commissioner Prof. Rhoda Gumus, made this statement during a strategic engagement in Abuja.

Amupitan highlighted that democracy cannot reach its full potential if women are primarily mobilized as voters without meaningful opportunities to become leaders. He noted that women made up 47.52% of registered voters in the 2023 General Election and accounted for 52.68% of new registrants in the ongoing voter registration for the 2027 elections.

However, only 10.15% of candidates in the 2023 elections were women, with only three elected to the Senate and 16 to the House of Representatives. Gumus urged political parties to support female candidates through access to party structures, campaign platforms, and other resources.