The outcome of the February 25, 2023, National Assembly elections demonstrates how hypocritically Nigerian political parties and leaders have treated the imperative of gender inclusivity in Nigeria’s political space. Years of advocacy by women groups and civil society organizations, local and international, and all the funds invested in the campaign yielded little results, considering the scandalously few number of women that will be in our law-making chambers as from June 2023. Though as many as 1,524 women contested for seats in the Senate and House of Representatives, only 15 women have been elected into the 423 legislative seats, according to results so far declared. And though the results for the governorship and state assembly elections are being awaited, only 26 women are contesting the position of governor as against 394 men while for the state assembly elections, there are 1,049 women against 9,183 men. This is totally unacceptable.

From the results INEC declared, only three women won senatorial seats. They include Banigo Ipalibo Harry (Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Rivers West); Ireti Heebah Kingibe (Labour Party, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja); and Adebule Idiat Oluranti (All Progressives Congress (APC), Lagos West). In the House of Representatives, where there are 12 women so far declared as winners, the majority of them come from the South, and two from Benue State, one each from Yobe, Borno and Plateau States. It is noteworthy that 11 of the women who participated in lawmaking in the 9th Assembly did not return.

The representation of women in the Senate, especially, is the worst since 1999, when the country returned to democratic rule after years of military dictatorship. In 2003, there were four female senators; in 2007, the number increased to eight; we had seven in 2011, seven in 2015 and eight in 2019.

The few women in the National Assembly over the years contributed their quota to debates and proposed bills that were critical to the development of Nigeria. Therefore, when women are denied the opportunity to contribute to lawmaking in Nigeria, the diversity, unique negotiation skills, and intelligence that they naturally bring to the table are lost. No doubt, the low number of women in the National Assembly would affect the quality of legislation that would emerge from our legislative chambers.

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