Civil society groups in Ekiti push for more women in legislative seats at both state and federal levels.

A coalition of civil society organisations made a plea to Ekiti State's political parties on Friday to foster an environment that provides women with equal, transparent, and genuine opportunities to run and be elected in the 2027 state and national assembly elections.

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The coalition, which is working to advance Women’s Political Participation, expressed concern about the low level of women’s participation in leadership positions, citing a disconnect between the country’s commitment to inclusive governance and the 35 per cent Affirmative Action for women.

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In a statement signed by 20 civil society organisations and made available in Ado Ekiti, the coalition urged Ekiti State's political parties, particularly the ruling All Progressive Congress, to take concrete steps to promote women’s political representation through elections.

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The civil society organisations called on all Ekiti State political parties to establish clear and inclusive guidelines for candidate selection, including consensus arrangements, and to publicly commit to the 35 per cent affirmative action targets for women’s representation in the Senate, House of Representatives, and State Assembly.

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They also urged the parties to ensure that internal processes are free from discrimination, intimidation, and exclusion, and to hold them accountable to the principles of inclusion, fairness, and democratic integrity.

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Achieving increased representation of women in the Ekiti State Assembly from 23 per cent to 35 per cent is seen as a democratic necessity, rather than a symbolic aspiration, as a political system that restricts women’s access undermines not only gender equality but also the legitimacy of governance.

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The civil society organisations encouraged women in Ekiti State to step forward, organise, and contest, as their leadership is essential to the future of democracy, and the credibility of the 2027 elections will be measured by how inclusive the process is.

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The coalition stated that the time for deliberate action is now, and that women must be given fair, transparent, and genuine opportunities to contest, compete, and emerge as candidates within party structures and electoral processes.

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Women must also be considered for positions in the House of Representatives and the Senate, rather than being sidelined in political negotiations, consensus arrangements, and power-sharing discussions, according to the civil society organisations.

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As political parties select candidates through primaries or consensus arrangements, the foundations of representation are being laid, and this stage is determinative, defining who gets the opportunity to contest and ultimately lead and represent the voices of women.

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When women are excluded at the point of nomination, democracy itself is already compromised before a single vote is cast, and women’s political participation cannot be achieved without transforming how candidates emerge.

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Political parties are the primary gatekeepers of democratic participation, and the extent to which they create inclusive processes will determine whether the current 26 per cent women’s representation at the Ekiti State 7th Assembly will be surpassed or maintained in the 8th Assembly.

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The civil society organisations noted that Nigeria’s constitution guarantees every citizen the right to vote and be voted for, and this constitutional right must be reflected in practice, not merely in principle, as women are critical stakeholders in nation-building, democratic governance, and sustainable development.

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The time has come for intentional inclusion and meaningful representation of women in politics, beyond symbolic gestures and tokenism, and political parties in Ekiti State must demonstrate genuine commitment to inclusive democracy by creating enabling environments that support and promote women’s leadership and participation.

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Ekiti State has made significant progress, requiring strong political will and commitment from political parties to maintain the progress, according to the civil society organisations.

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The coalition consists of 20 civil society organisations, including the Coalition of CSOs on Women’s Political Participation in Ekiti State, the Women Political Participation Working Group, and the New Generation Girls and Women Development Initiative (NIGAWD), among others.

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Other members of the coalition include Balm in Gilead Foundation for Sustainable Development (BIGIF), Ekiti Women Arise (EWA), Ekiti Women Advocacy Team (EWAT), and Gender Mobile Initiative (GMI), as well as the Gender Relevance Initiative Promotion (GRIP) and the Foundation for Excellent Living and Development (FELAD).

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The coalition also includes the Disability not a Barrier Initiative (DINABI), Media for Human Development Foundation, Kids and Teens Resources Centre (K&TRC), and the Gender Advocacy Network (GANnet), among others.

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Additional members of the coalition are the Rays of Hope Foundation for Sustainable Development, Lighthouse Charity and Legacy Foundation, Society for Women Against AIDs in Africa, Nigeria (SWAAN), and the Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative (BBYDI).

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The coalition also comprises the Haven of Hope Foundation for Health and Community Development, National Council of Women Societies (NCWS), International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), and the Women in Politics Forum (WIPF).