Fatimah Otunsanya
President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has attributed the poor performance of female politicians in Nigeria’s elections to the lack of support they receive from fellow women.
Akpabio stated this on Tuesday while receiving a high-level delegation from the European Union Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, led by Mr. David McAllister, at the National Assembly, Abuja.
“Women often vote for male candidates, making it difficult for female candidates to win elections,” he said.
The former Akwa Ibom State governor lamented the persistent gender imbalance in Nigeria’s political space, noting that despite women making up nearly half of the electorate, their representation in parliament remains among the lowest in Africa.
Currently, only four of the 109 senators and 17 of the 360 members of the House of Representatives are women — figures that have seen little improvement in two decades.
Akpabio, however, said the National Assembly was considering “innovative solutions, including constitutional amendments,” to promote gender inclusion in politics and governance.
He added that the legislature was open to working with advocacy groups such as the Black Women’s Forum to achieve this goal.
McAllister, who led the EU delegation alongside Ambassador Greta Mylott, said their mission was to deepen understanding of the situation in West Africa and strengthen partnership with Nigeria.
He reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s democratic and developmental efforts, particularly in tackling terrorism, climate change, and economic challenges.
“The EU is committed to supporting Nigeria’s development efforts,” McAllister said, stressing the bloc’s interest in a stable and prosperous Nigeria.
The visit formed part of a broader West African tour, which includes Ghana, and comes ahead of the International Islamic Conference on Security and Governance in West Africa and the Sahel, scheduled to begin on November 4, 2025, at the ECOWAS Commission.
Akpabio expressed optimism that the renewed partnership would yield tangible results, reaffirming Nigeria’s readiness to collaborate with the EU on shared priorities such as security, trade, and governance.
“Nigeria is committed to strengthening ties with the EU and deepening cooperation in areas of mutual interest,” he said.