Women’s groups in Adamawa State have raised serious concerns over the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s exclusion of female candidates in the recent State House of Assembly primary, calling the development a major setback for gender equity and inclusive governance. Leaders from the Adamawa Women in Politics, National Council of Women Societies, and the Special Reserved Seats for Women groups held a press briefing in Yola to express their dismay, highlighting that six women who contested for assembly seats were overlooked in the final list of candidates. The groups emphasized that no woman emerged as a candidate despite active participation in the primary, a situation they described as worse than the current Assembly, which has only one female member.
Comfort Ibrahim, Coordinator of Adamawa State Women in Politics, expressed deep disappointment over the outcome, stating that the absence of women in the APC’s candidate list contradicts the principles of democratic fairness and equal representation. “We have one female lawmaker at the assembly now and hoped for more women, but the reverse is the case as no single woman emerged as a candidate among those who contested in the APC primary,” she said. Ibrahim stressed that this outcome undermines the collective aspirations for inclusive governance and sends a negative signal about the party’s commitment to gender balance in political representation.
She further noted that the exclusion of women from the candidate list raises serious questions about the democratic process and the genuine representation of women’s interests in legislative matters. With the Adamawa State House of Assembly comprising 25 members, the APC, like other political parties, is expected to field a maximum of 25 candidates for the general election. The women’s groups insist that despite the lack of official results from the APC, they have confirmed through reliable sources that no woman will be announced as a candidate.
Efforts to obtain an official update from the APC on the primary results have been unsuccessful, leaving uncertainty hanging over the process. The delay in releasing results has added to the growing concerns about transparency and fairness in the party’s internal selection. The women’s groups argue that such exclusion not only violates the spirit of democracy but also diminishes the chances of women’s voices being heard in critical legislative decisions that affect their lives.
The situation in Adamawa State reflects a broader challenge in Nigeria’s political landscape, where women continue to face systemic barriers to political participation. As the general election approaches, the absence of women in the APC’s candidate list for the State House of Assembly may influence voter sentiment and spark further advocacy for gender-inclusive policies in political parties. The women’s groups are urging the APC to reconsider its approach and ensure that future primaries reflect a more equitable and representative process.
Leave a Comment