The Founder of TOS Foundation Africa, Chief Mrs. Osasu Igbinedion Ogwuche, has expressed concern over what she describes as the systematic exclusion of women from political leadership, warning that internal party processes are increasingly sidelining female aspirants ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Ogwuche, who also leads the HerCademy Leadership Institute, referenced remarks by former Liberian President and Nobel Laureate, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, emphasizing that women make up half of society and that their empowerment should be treated as a necessity rather than a privilege.
🔷 Barriers Within Party Structures
She recalled that during the launch of TOS Foundation Africa’s advocacy campaign for the Reserved Seats for Women Bill, a common question raised was why women could not compete directly with men instead of seeking reserved seats.
Critics, she noted, argued that political success should be earned through competition rather than facilitated through structural provisions.
However, Ogwuche countered that existing political frameworks already disadvantage women, long before elections begin. According to her, the realities within Nigeria’s political system validate the need for deliberate interventions.
🔷 Growing Pattern of Exclusion
As political parties intensify preparations for the 2027 elections through the rollout of primary guidelines and internal regulations, Ogwuche observed a disturbing trend of exclusion.
She stated that women are increasingly being pressured out of the process, reinforcing longstanding concerns that the system is skewed against female participation from the outset.
At the HerCademy Leadership Institute, she revealed that several female aspirants have reported being urged to step down in favour of consensus candidates, a trend cutting across major political parties including the PDP, APC, SDP, and ADC.
🔷 Nigeria’s Poor Global Ranking
Highlighting the broader implications, Ogwuche pointed to Nigeria’s low ranking in women’s political representation, noting that the country currently stands at 180th out of 185 nations in the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s global index.
She further revealed that women occupy only four per cent of seats in the National Assembly, far below the global average of 26.9 per cent.
Drawing comparisons, she noted that countries such as Rwanda have achieved as much as 61 per cent female representation, describing Nigeria’s situation as both embarrassing and indicative of policy failure.
🔷 Reserved Seats Bill Yet to Progress
Ogwuche disclosed that in March 2025, TOS Foundation Africa launched a campaign advocating for the Reserved Seats for Women Bill, a constitutional amendment proposing additional legislative seats exclusively for women.
She noted that the bill has received widespread endorsements from key stakeholders, including:
- President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
- Vice President Kashim Shettima
- First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu
- Senate President Godswill Akpabio
- Speaker Tajudeen Abbas
- Nigeria Governors Forum and other political leaders
Despite this support, she expressed disappointment that the bill remains stalled at the National Assembly, where it is one of 44 constitutional amendment proposals yet to advance.
🔷 Global Examples of Progress
Ogwuche contrasted Nigeria’s situation with countries that have adopted gender quotas and reserved seat policies, noting that such measures have significantly improved women’s representation.
She cited examples including:
- Bolivia, Cuba, and the United Arab Emirates, each surpassing 50 per cent female parliamentary representation
- Senegal, where a 2010 gender parity law increased representation from 22 to 43 per cent
- Rwanda, where constitutional provisions guarantee at least 30 per cent female representation
According to her, these successes demonstrate that inclusive governance is the result of intentional policy decisions, not coincidence.
🔷 Women’s Inclusion as Economic Imperative
Ogwuche stressed that gender inclusion is not merely a moral argument but an economic necessity.
Referencing former African Union Commission Chairperson Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, she noted that gender equality is both morally right and economically beneficial.
She cited findings from the McKinsey Global Institute, which estimate that advancing gender equality could add up to $12 trillion to global GDP.
Further supporting her position, she referenced reports from the World Economic Forum, indicating that countries with higher female political participation often experience:
- Improved human development
- Lower corruption levels
- Stronger institutional stability
Additionally, a UN Women study suggests that female legislators are more likely to sponsor legislation addressing healthcare, education, child welfare, and anti-corruption.
For Nigeria, she estimated that increasing women’s representation in the National Assembly to between 10 and 20 per cent could contribute up to $229 billion to the economy.
🔷 Structural Challenges Facing Women
Ogwuche highlighted persistent barriers confronting female politicians, citing reports by the National Democratic Institute (NDI). These include:
- Voter bias
- Party gatekeeping
- Limited access to funding
- Political intimidation
She noted that during the 2023 general elections, only 179 women were elected into legislative positions out of more than 1,000 available seats, describing the figures as evidence of a system that discourages women’s participation.
🔷 Call for Urgent Reform
With the Reserved Seats Bill yet to progress and party primaries already disadvantaging women, Ogwuche warned that expecting women to simply “fight their way in” amounts to structural injustice.
She emphasized that no country has achieved gender parity in politics without deliberate legislative and institutional reforms, noting that even Scandinavian countries relied on enforceable policies rather than goodwill.
Citing the late Kenyan environmentalist and Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai, she urged Nigeria’s political leadership to embrace a higher moral responsibility in advancing women’s inclusion.
🔷 Encouragement to Women and Leaders
Ogwuche encouraged women aspiring to leadership positions not to abandon their ambitions. She urged them to:
- Document instances of exclusion
- Build strategic alliances
- Continue advocating for systemic reform
She also challenged political leaders who publicly support women’s inclusion to translate their endorsements into concrete legislative action, quoting former Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano, who described leadership as “action and example, not titles.”
🔷 Conclusion
Ogwuche concluded that the continued exclusion of women from governance represents a significant national loss that Nigeria can no longer afford.
As preparations for the 2027 elections intensify, she warned that capable and committed women are already being sidelined through party primaries before contests even begin.