Twenty civil society organisations (CSOs) on Friday called on political parties in Ekiti State to implement a 35 per cent affirmative action for women in the 2027 elections. The coalition made the appeal in a statement signed by its representatives in Ado Ekiti, urging parties through the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) to create inclusive internal processes. They emphasized that women must be given fair, transparent and genuine opportunities to contest and emerge as candidates.
The CSOs stressed that internal party processes should be free from discrimination, intimidation and exclusion. They pointed to a gap between Nigeria's commitment to inclusive governance and the actual participation of women in leadership roles. According to the statement, women must be considered for seats in the National Assembly's lower and upper chambers, not just state Houses of Assembly. The groups warned against sidelining women in political negotiations, consensus arrangements and power-sharing discussions.
The coalition affirmed that Nigeria's constitution grants every citizen the right to vote and be voted for. They insisted this right must be reflected in practice, not just in principle. Women, they said, are not only voters but key stakeholders in nation-building, democratic governance and sustainable development. Political parties were urged to move beyond symbolic gestures and tokenism.
The CSOs called for intentional inclusion and meaningful representation of women in politics. They noted that Ekiti State has made progress that requires sustained political will and party commitment. The organisations involved include Women's Political Participation in Ekiti State, Women Political Participation Working Group, New Generation Girls and Women Development Initiative (NIGAWD), Balm in Gilead Foundation for Sustainable Development (BIGIF), Ekiti Women Arise (EWA), Ekiti Women Advocacy Team (EWAT), Gender Mobile Initiative (GMI), Gender Relevance Initiative Promotion (GRIP), Foundation for Excellent Living and Development (FELAD), Disability not a Barrier Initiative (DINABI), Media for Human Development Foundation, Kids and Teens Resources Centre (K&TRC), Gender Advocacy Network (GANnet), Rays of Hope Foundation for Sustainable Development, and Lighthouse Charity and Legacy Foundation.
The same political structures that have historically excluded women are now being asked by civil society to guarantee them 35 per cent representation, yet no mechanism is proposed to enforce this demand within party primaries. Ekiti's parties have not demonstrated past willingness to prioritize female candidates, making the call dependent on goodwill rather than accountability. Without binding party reforms, the 35 per cent target remains a statement of hope, not a roadmap. Nigerian women's political inclusion continues to rely on appeals, not structural change.
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