Dr Asabe Vilita-Bashir has resigned as Director-General of the Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development (MBNCWD) and announced her intention to contest an elective position in the 2027 general elections. She made the announcement during her induction into the MBNCWD Hall of Fame on Wednesday in Abuja, where she was honoured for her contributions to women's empowerment. Vilita-Bashir urged Nigerian women to actively pursue political office rather than wait for appointments. "I call on Nigerian women to participate in the political space. There is nothing good that comes easy. No pain, no gain," she said.
She encouraged women to "take the bull by the horn" and engage directly in the political process, stressing that opportunities would not come without effort. Vilita-Bashir described President Bola Tinubu's administration as gender friendly and called on women to capitalise on the environment by contesting elections in large numbers. "We don't expect appointments to be given to us on a platter of gold. We just have to move, take the courage and the risk, and God will help us," she stated. Mrs Ebie Emezuie of MBNCWD praised her leadership, while Nikky Onyeri of FAFAN confirmed over 200 female APC aspirants had declared interest in 2027 races.
A former appointee urging women to stop waiting for favours while positioning herself for a Senate seat in Borno reveals the shifting script in women's political strategy. Vilita-Bashir's move signals that symbolic recognition is no longer enough—real power lies in contested seats, not ceremonial roles. If more women follow, the 2027 race could see a rare uptick in female candidacies, though structural barriers remain unchanged.
