A coalition of civil society organisations focused on women's political participation has called on political parties in Ekiti State to implement concrete measures ensuring greater representation of women ahead of the June 20, 2026, governorship election. The groups, including New Generation Girls and Women Development Initiative (NIGAWD), Balm in Gilead Foundation for Sustainable Development (BIGIF), Ekiti Women Arise (EWA), and Ekiti Women Advocacy Team (EWAT), made the appeal in a joint statement released in Akure. They urged parties through the Interparty Advisory Council (IPAC) to create fair and transparent pathways for women to contest and emerge as candidates.
The coalition emphasized that women must be included not only in the Ekiti State House of Assembly but also in federal positions such as the House of Representatives and the Senate. They noted that constitutional rights to vote and be voted for should be reflected in practice, not just in principle. Women, the statement said, are key stakeholders in democratic governance and sustainable development. The groups called for an end to sidelining women in political negotiations, consensus arrangements, and power-sharing discussions.
Political parties were urged to move beyond symbolic gestures and institutionalise inclusive candidate selection guidelines. The coalition specifically called for public commitment to the 35 percent affirmative action target for women across all legislative candidacies. They stressed that internal party processes must be free from discrimination, intimidation, and exclusion. The current 26 percent representation of women in the 7th Ekiti State Assembly should be surpassed, the groups said.
The coalition includes 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, Lighthouse Charity and Legacy Foundation, Society for Women Against AIDs in Africa Nigeria (SWAAN), Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative (BBYDI), Haven of Hope Foundation for Health and Community Development, and National Council of Women Societies (NCWS).
The same parties that celebrate women as voters routinely block them at nomination stages, undermining claims of democratic commitment. With women holding only 26 percent of seats in the current Ekiti State Assembly, the call for 35 percent representation exposes a gap between rhetoric and party gatekeeping practices. No political party has yet publicly adopted the 35 percent target, leaving the coalition's demand unmet by action. If inclusion remains optional, democracy in Ekiti will continue to be decided by fewer than half its people.
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