A women’s rights advocate and founder of TOS Foundation Africa, Osasu Igbinedion Ogwuche, has alleged that political party primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections are structured in ways that systematically exclude women from leadership positions.

Ogwuche, in a statement on Wednesday, said women seeking elective offices were increasingly being pressured to step down in favour of consensus candidates across major political parties.

According to her, the development cuts across the All Progressives Congress, Peoples Democratic Party, Social Democratic Party and African Democratic Congress, among others.

She said the situation reinforced long-standing concerns that Nigeria’s political system was tilted against women even before elections begin.

“As political parties across Nigeria announce their primary modes and self-regulation tactics ahead of the 2027 elections, a troubling pattern is emerging; one that confirms what women in politics have long known: the system is rigged before the whistle is even blown,” she said.

Ogwuche noted that Nigeria currently ranks 180th out of 185 countries in the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s global ranking of women in parliament, with women occupying only four per cent of seats in the National Assembly, compared to the global average of 26.9 per cent.

She contrasted Nigeria’s record with countries such as Rwanda, where women account for over 60 per cent of parliamentary representation due to deliberate constitutional and policy measures.

The activist also expressed concern over the stalled Reserved Seats for Women Bill, a constitutional amendment proposal seeking additional legislative seats exclusively for women at the national and state levels.

She recalled that the bill, championed by TOS Foundation Africa in March 2025, received endorsements from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas.

Despite the endorsements, she said the bill remained stalled in the National Assembly alongside several other constitutional amendment proposals.

Ogwuche argued that increasing women’s participation in governance was not only a democratic necessity but also an economic imperative.

Citing global studies, she said countries with higher female political representation often recorded stronger institutions, lower corruption and improved development outcomes.

She further referenced data from the National Democratic Institute, which indicated that women candidates in Nigeria face voter bias, party gatekeeping, financing challenges and intimidation at higher levels than their male counterparts.

She urged female aspirants not to succumb to pressure to withdraw from political contests, but instead to build alliances and continue advocating reforms within political parties and the wider electoral system.

“To women with the appetite to lead: do not step down. Document everything. Build coalitions. Make noise. The system will not reform itself but it can be pressured,” she stated.

Ogwuche added that Nigeria could no longer afford the political and economic consequences of excluding women from governance ahead of the 2027 elections.