Women’s leadership advocate and development adviser, Mrs Mary Ikoku, says the outcome of the 2026 party primaries has reinforced the need for the passage of the Reserved Seats for Women Bill, describing the exercise as further evidence of structural barriers confronting women in Nigerian politics.
Addressing “Why Nigeria Needs Reserved Seats for Women”, Ikoku, who is the founder of She The People, said the primaries had demonstrated that the challenge facing women was not competence or preparedness but limited access within existing political structures.
“The problem was never a shortage of competent women. Neither was it a lack of preparation, commitment or grassroots appeal. The problem has always been the system,” she stated.
According to her, Nigerian women have over the years remained active participants in the political process, mobilising communities, supporting political parties and investing substantial resources in democratic institutions.
“They mobilised communities, financed campaigns, defended political parties and invested their time, resources and reputations in institutions they believed would eventually recognise merit and service,” she said.
Ikoku noted that the experiences of female aspirants during the 2026 primaries across various political parties underscored longstanding concerns about representation and inclusion.
“The 2026 primaries did not expose a deficit of female competence; they exposed a deficit of political courage,” she noted .
Ikoku, who contested for the Arochukwu/Ohafia House of Representatives Constituency primaries ticket on the All Progressives Congress platform, cited the participation of several accomplished women who sought elective positions, maintaining that many encountered obstacles unrelated to merit.
“The names may differ, but the stories are remarkably similar,” she said.
The advocate argued that Nigeria’s low level of female representation in parliament constitutes a democratic challenge with implications for governance and national development.
“A legislature that consistently excludes half of the population cannot honestly claim to represent the aspirations, experiences and priorities of the nation,” Ikoku stated.
She described the Reserved Seats for Women Bill as a democratic measure aimed at broadening participation and strengthening representation.
“This is precisely why the Reserved Seats for Women Bill should not be viewed as an act of charity. It is an act of democratic correction,” she said.
Defending the proposed bill, Ikoku noted that the objective of the bill was to promote balance in representation, stressing that the bill would neither take away existing seats from men nor prevent women from contesting regular constituencies.
“Reserved seats do not diminish merit; they create opportunity. They do not replace competition; they expand participation. Its purpose is not to create dependency. Its purpose is to create parity,” she said.
Ikoku called on political leaders and lawmakers to support measures that institutionalise inclusion, insisting that democracy should be measured not only by electoral participation but also by equitable representation.
“The question before Nigeria is no longer whether women are ready. Nigerian women have always been ready. The question is whether our democracy is prepared to live up to its own promise; the time for symbolic promises is over, and the time for constitutional inclusion has come.” She emphasised.
