The All Progressives Congress (APC) Female Deputy Governors Forum has called on the party leadership to adopt a comprehensive affirmative action framework ahead of the 2027 general elections, including the emergence of at least one female governor in each of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
In a statement posted on the official X handle of the APC, they cited their demands during a consultative meeting with APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja on Friday.
According to the statement, the delegation was led by Ogun State Deputy Governor, Noimot Salako-Oyedele.
Salako-Oyedele lamented the low representation of women in elective offices, stressing that they currently occupy only about 4–5 per cent of positions.
She described the figure as significantly low compared to female representation recorded in neighbouring African countries such as Rwanda, South Africa, and Senegal.
Addressing members of the National Working Committee (NWC), she said Nigeria had yet to elect a female governor, stressing the need for deliberate measures to change the narrative.
“Nigeria has never elected a female Governor. We propose that our party take deliberate steps to support the emergence of at least one female Governor in each geopolitical zone. We believe our party can and should be the one to break that barrier,” she said.
The forum also presented a structured roadmap for 2027, proposing 35 per cent representation for women in State Houses of Assembly, at least one female senator per state, a minimum of one female member of the House of Representatives per senatorial district, at least 18 female deputy governors nationwide, and the automatic return of first-term female deputy governors.
Salako-Oyedele maintained that the underrepresentation of women in governance is largely due to structural challenges within party systems and primary election processes, rather than a lack of competence.
“The issue before us is structural. Political outcomes are shaped within party systems—how candidates emerge and how tickets are offered. If we desire different outcomes, then we must take deliberate decisions within our party structures,” she said.
Read Also
She recalled that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had previously observed there were “too few women in the room” during a National Executive Committee meeting, a statement she described as a candid call to action for the ruling party.
Responding, the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, echoed their agitation, describing the current sub-5 per cent representation in the National Assembly as “unacceptable.”
Yilwatda argued that the principle of “Federal Character” must extend beyond geography to include gender, noting that women make up nearly 50% of both the party membership and the national population.
Yilwatda pledged that the APC National Working Committee will ensure improved representation of women in the Nigerian political space.
Yilwatda said, “If you talk about federal character, it is not just about the state where you come from; it also reflects gender.
“We will do anything that we can within the National Working Committee to ensure that we improve the representation of women.”
The Chairman further urged the Forum to formalise their demands by submitting a memorandum to the party’s constitution amendment committee to ensure the changes are legally entrenched.
The meeting was attended by prominent female leaders, including Senator Akon Eyakenyi (Akwa Ibom), Lady Chinyere Ekomaru (Imo), Ms Josephine Piyi (Plateau), and Professor Ngozi Odu (Rivers).
