By Musa Baba Adamu with agency report
Women politicians and gender advocates in Kaduna State have renewed calls for increased female representation in elective offices, arguing that significant barriers still hinder women from securing political positions despite growing participation in party politics.
The demand came on Wednesday as stakeholders assessed the outcome of recent party primaries ahead of future elections.
Leading the call was Munira Tanimu, the only female member of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, who described women’s participation in the primaries as a positive development but stressed that more needs to be done to improve their chances of electoral success.
Tanimu, who secured the ticket of the All Progressives Congress to seek another term in office, urged political parties to strengthen affirmative action policies and create more opportunities for women seeking elective positions.
According to her, women are increasingly willing to contest elections and assume leadership responsibilities rather than remain in supporting roles.
“They are stepping forward to contest and lead. Political parties must support this momentum,” she said.
Former lawmaker Comfort Amwe said the outcome of the primaries highlighted the persistent challenges confronting female politicians, particularly limited access to funding and the influence of entrenched political structures.
She noted that financial barriers and the dominance of political godfathers continue to make it difficult for many women to compete effectively during elections.
Similarly, Kaduna APC Women’s Leader Maryam Suleiman said although women recorded notable participation in the primaries, sustained mentorship and political education remain crucial to expanding female representation.
She encouraged women to build stronger political networks and deepen their involvement in grassroots political activities.
Legal practitioner Naymarie Musa challenged political parties to go beyond public commitments to gender inclusion by providing practical support and opportunities for women seeking leadership positions.
According to her, greater female participation in governance is necessary for strengthening democracy and promoting good governance.
Also speaking, former senatorial aspirant of the New Nigeria People’s Party, Tinok Andrew-Nok, commended women who contested in the primaries despite the difficulties they faced.
She called for stronger cooperation among women across different political parties to advance the cause of gender inclusion in Nigerian politics.
The Coordinator of the Kaduna Women Advancement Initiative, Grace Yakubu, said the results of the primaries demonstrated that efforts to achieve meaningful representation for women remain far from complete.
Yakubu urged political parties, government institutions and civil society organisations to intensify advocacy for policies that promote gender equity and wider political participation by women.
Another women’s rights advocate, Aisha Ibrahim, echoed similar concerns, noting that women’s representation in politics remains below expectations and calling for concerted efforts to dismantle structural barriers limiting their participation.
The stakeholders collectively maintained that while progress has been made in encouraging women to contest elections, deliberate policies and sustained support will be required to translate participation into greater representation in elective offices.
