By Nchetachi Chukwuajah
Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has attributed the poor performance of female politicians in Nigeria’s elections to the lack of support from fellow women.
Akpabio added that women should be blamed, and not men, as women often vote for male candidates and making it difficult for female candidates to win elections.
He stated this when he received a delegation from the European Union Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, led by Mr David McAllister, at the National Assembly in Abuja on Tuesday, October 28.
“Women often vote for male candidates, making it difficult for female candidates to win elections,” he stated
The lawmaker decried the persistent gender imbalance in Nigeria’s political landscape, noting that despite women constituting almost half of the electorate, their representation in parliament remains among the lowest in Africa.
Of the 109 senators currently in the upper legislative chamber, only four are women, while 17 of the 360 members of the House of Representatives are women.
Akpabio assured that with support from advocacy groups such as the Black Women’s Forum, the National Assembly was already considering “innovative solutions, including constitutional amendments” to increase female participation in politics and governance.
In his speech, McAllister, who led the EU delegation that included Ambassador Greta Mylott, said their mission was to “deepen our understanding of the situation in West Africa and strengthen our partnership with Nigeria.”
He reiterated that the EU is committed to supporting Nigeria’s democratic and developmental efforts, particularly in addressing issues such as terrorism, climate change, and economic stability, stressing the bloc’s interest in a stable and prosperous Nigeria.
The delegation’s visit is part of a broader West African tour that includes Ghana ahead of the International Islamic Conference on Security and Governance in West Africa and the Sahel, scheduled to start on November 4, 2025, at the ECOWAS Commission.
