Nigeria’s female deputy governors have called on the All Progressives Congress to adopt a structured affirmative action framework ahead of the 2027 elections to increase women’s participation in elective and party positions.
The call was made in a letter signed by the Coordinator of the Forum of Female Deputy Governors, Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Akon Eyakenyi, to APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda on Friday. The deputy governors commended Yilwatda’s leadership, describing him as a unifier, peace builder, and ilising force within the party, helping it remain cohesive despite national political divisions.
The letter highlighted the country’s low female political representation, noting that only nine women serve as deputy governors, four in the Senate, seventeen in the House of Representatives, and forty-eight across all State Houses of Assembly. Thirteen states have no female legislators, leaving women’s participation at just four to five percent nationally.
To address this imbalance, the deputy governors proposed a minimum of 35 percent female representation in State Houses of Assembly, at least one female House of Representatives member per Senatorial District, at least one female Senator per state, eighteen female deputy governors, and support for at least one female governor in each geopolitical zone.
Eyakenyi emphasised that increasing women’s representation is both a matter of fairness and strategic advantage, enriching governance through diverse perspectives and strengthening the party’s voter base. The deputy governors also pledged to mentor emerging female leaders and strengthen grassroots engagement to achieve these objectives.
The letter described the 2027 elections as a historic opportunity to break the glass ceiling and set a precedent for women’s political inclusion in Nigeria.
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