President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has stated that female politicians often face difficulties in winning elections due to a lack of support from fellow women.
The lawmaker made the claim on Tuesday while receiving a high-level delegation from the European Union Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, led by David McAllister, at the National Assembly, Abuja.
He condemned 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.
“Women often vote for male candidates, making it difficult for female candidates to win elections,” he said.
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Currently, only four of the 109 senators and 17 of the 360 members of the House of Representatives are women, figures that have shown slight improvement over the past 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 collaborating with advocacy groups, such as the Black Women’s Forum, to achieve this goal.
McAllister, who led the EU delegation alongside Ambassador Greta Mylott, stated that their mission was to deepen understanding of the situation in West Africa and strengthen the 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.
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