Senate President, Godswill Akpabio has revealed that female politicians in Nigeria face challenges winning elections because they receive limited backing from other women.
He made this observation on Tuesday while meeting with a delegation from the European Union Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, led by David McAllister, at the National Assembly in Abuja.
The lawmaker said that women in Nigeria often vote for male candidates, which makes it harder for female candidates to succeed.
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The former Akwa-Ibom governor also pointed out the continued gender imbalance in the country’s political system, despite women constituting nearly half of the electorate.
Representation in the National Assembly remains very low, with only four out of 109 senators and 17 of the 360 House of Representatives members being women.
The Senate President revealed that the National Assembly is exploring new approaches, including possible constitutional amendments, to increase women’s participation in politics.
He also said the legislature is willing to collaborate with advocacy groups such as the Black Women’s Forum to support this effort.
He said: “Women often vote for male candidates, making it difficult for female candidates to win elections. Despite women making up nearly half of the electorate, their representation in parliament remains among the lowest in Africa.
“The National Assembly is considering innovative solutions, including constitutional amendments, to promote gender inclusion in politics and governance. The legislature is open to working with advocacy groups such as the Black Women’s Forum to achieve this goal.”
