A coalition of civil society organisations and women-led advocacy groups in Ekiti State has called on political parties to ensure greater inclusion of women in the build-up to the 2027 general elections, warning that democracy is weakened when women are excluded from the candidate selection process.
The coalition, working under the platform of Women’s Political Participation (WPP), issued the call in a joint press statement amid ongoing political consultations and preparations for party primaries ahead of the elections.
The statement was jointly signed by several organisations, including National Council of Women Societies, International Federation of Women Lawyers, Women in Politics Forum, Gender Mobile Initiative, Ekiti Women Arise, and other advocacy groups championing women’s political participation in the state.
The groups noted that the ongoing process of candidate selection for the Senate, House of Representatives, and State Houses of Assembly would determine the quality of representation and inclusiveness in Nigeria’s democratic system.
According to the coalition, despite Nigeria’s commitment to affirmative action policies and international treaties supporting gender inclusion, women continue to face systemic barriers within political parties and electoral structures.
The statement highlighted challenges such as opaque candidate selection procedures, limited access to party structures, financial constraints, and entrenched gender-based political dynamics as major obstacles preventing women from participating on equal terms.
The coalition also referenced growing advocacy for the Women Reserved Seats Bill as part of ongoing constitutional reforms aimed at addressing gender imbalance in legislative representation.
It further acknowledged recent engagements by the First Lady of Ekiti State, Olayemi Oyebanji, who reportedly organised a stakeholders’ interface on women’s political representation in February 2026.
The organisations specifically urged political parties in the state, through the Inter-Party Advisory Council, to take concrete steps toward increasing women’s participation in elective positions.
They also called on the ruling All Progressives Congress under the leadership of Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji to ensure women are given fair opportunities to emerge as candidates for legislative offices.
According to the statement, women should not be sidelined during political negotiations, consensus arrangements, or power-sharing discussions.
“The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guarantees every citizen the right to vote and be voted for, and this constitutional right must be reflected in practice, not merely in principle,” the coalition stated.
The groups argued that women remain vital stakeholders in governance and development, stressing that inclusive democracy cannot be achieved through symbolic gestures or token representation.
“When women are excluded at the point of nomination, democracy itself is already compromised before a single vote is cast,” the statement added.
The coalition warned that political parties remain the major gatekeepers of democratic participation, noting that their willingness to adopt inclusive internal processes would determine whether women’s representation in the Ekiti State House of Assembly improves beyond the current level.
The advocacy groups demanded that parties institutionalise transparent candidate selection guidelines, commit publicly to the 35 per cent affirmative action target for women across legislative positions, and ensure internal party processes remain free from intimidation and discrimination.
They further called on electoral stakeholders, government institutions, political activists, and members of the public to hold political parties accountable to the principles of fairness, inclusion, and democratic integrity.
Addressing women in the state directly, the coalition encouraged them to actively participate in the political process and contest for elective positions.
“To women across Ekiti State: your leadership is essential to the future of our democracy. This is the time to step forward, organise, and contest,” the statement read.
