Electoral Act gaps, money politics locking women out of 2027 party primaries, Advocates

Women's chances of becoming candidates in Nigeria's 2027 general elections are being significantly limited by flaws in the Electoral Act, exorbitant nomination fees, and pervasive money politics, according to gender rights advocates and electoral experts. Findings from an audit of internal party elections, presented during a media briefing, highlighted these systemic barriers.

Cynthia Mbamalu, a gender and human rights advocate, pointed to the Electoral Act 2026, which allows for direct and consensus primaries. She stated that the Act lacks clear guidelines for direct primaries, leaving significant discretion to political parties. Section 86 of the Act, she explained, allows parties to design their own guidelines, weakening transparency. "Ordinarily, direct primaries should have been a saving grace for marginalised groups, especially women, but the way parties implemented them closed the space," Mbamalu said.

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Ordinarily, direct primaries should have been a saving grace for marginalised groups, especially women, but the way parties implemented them closed the space.

Weak regulation, Mbamalu added, enables parties to manipulate membership registers and screening processes, which she described as the initial stage of exclusion. These processes are often hostile to women and aspirants not aligned with party structures, forcing them to withdraw or contest unfair outcomes. High nomination fees and the influence of powerful figures, particularly governors within the All Progressives Congress (APC), are major obstacles. Even discounted fees do not guarantee inclusion for women.

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Weak regulation allowed parties to manipulate membership registers and screening processes, which she described as the first stage of exclusion.

Representing a coalition of women-led organizations, Toun Sonaiya, Executive Director of the Voice of Women Empowerment Foundation, accused political parties of institutionalizing exclusion. She cited consensus arrangements and opaque candidate selection processes as key methods. Women who meet all requirements are frequently pressured to step down or are replaced through backdoor deals. Sonaiya highlighted the stark gender disparity in Nigerian politics, noting that despite women making up nearly half the population, they hold less than 4% of National Assembly seats and no governorship positions.

The advocates called for a review of disputed primaries and the reinstatement of women who were allegedly forced out of electoral processes despite winning legitimately. They emphasized that Nigeria's commitments to international conventions on gender equality, such as CEDAW and the Maputo Protocol, are not being met in practice.

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Women who met all party requirements were frequently pressured to step down or replaced through backdoor arrangements.