2027: Don’t wait for power, fight for it, Anenih tells women

Former Minister of Women Affairs, Iyom Josephine Anenih, has called on Nigerian women to abandon passive waiting for political opportunities and instead actively fight for power. Speaking at a roundtable discussion in Abuja, she stressed that political power is secured through organization, negotiation, and persistence.

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Nobody gives women political power. You have to fight for it. You have to take it, grab it, and run with it.

Anenih, who chairs the Board of Trustees of the 100 Women Lobby Group, highlighted that decades of women's participation in politics have not yielded proportional representation in decision-making spaces, despite their crucial roles in election mobilization and sustaining party structures. "Nobody gives women political power. You have to fight for it. You have to take it, grab it, and run with it," she declared.

She advised women to "carry your chair into the room if necessary" to claim their rightful place at the table. Anenih advocated for building alliances, strategic lobbying, and maintaining strong connections with grassroots women, while collaborating with civil society organizations and the media to demand greater inclusion.

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I realised that you cannot change anything unless you are inside the room. If you are not in the room, you cannot influence decisions.

Dr. Felicia Onibon, National Coordinator of the 100 Women Lobby Group, added that sustainable investment in leadership development and mentorship is vital for improving women's political representation. She urged political parties to strengthen internal structures, provide continuous training, and mentor female aspirants well before election seasons. Onibon also emphasized the need for women to remain engaged post-election, monitoring outcomes and holding parties accountable for their commitments, stating, "None of this is charity. We are not begging for special treatment."

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Carry your chair into the room if necessary. You have to claim your place at the table.

Blessing Anunike, Director of Women Development at the Ministry of Women Affairs, reaffirmed the Federal Government's commitment to increasing women's participation in governance, noting that Nigeria cannot achieve sustainable development without it.

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Real campaigns require mentorship and support so that a woman’s candidacy is not determined by whether her grandfather had enough money to give to leaders in her community.