By Isaac UkpojuDr
Fatimah Abdullahi, a former governorship aspirant in Nasarawa State, has called for urgent reforms to address what she described as the “systemic exclusion” of women from political leadership in the state.
Abdullahi, also a critical stakeholder in the All Progressives Congress (APC), made the call in a statement made available to newsmen on Monday in Lafia.
She decried what she termed “a catastrophic gender deficit” in Nasarawa politics, saying it undermines democracy and hinders development.
According to her, despite President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises gender balance, women in the state continue to face structural barriers in politics.
“Since the creation of Nasarawa in 1996, only two women have ever been elected into the State House of Assembly, and no woman has served as a local government chairperson.
“Currently, out of 32 lawmakers from the state at both state and federal levels, only one is female, representing just 3.1 per cent,” she said.
She also noted that no woman had ever been elected as deputy governor, speaker, or deputy speaker of the Assembly since 1999.
On appointments, she said only three women currently serve as commissioners out of 16 in the State Executive Council, representing 18.75 per cent; far below the 35 per cent affirmative action benchmark.
Abdullahi linked the exclusion to entrenched patriarchal structures, economic disadvantages, and weak implementation of gender policies.
She recalled the rejection of key gender bills by the National Assembly in March 2022, saying it worsened women’s political participation nationwide.
“The failure to pass bills providing special seats for women, 35 per cent affirmative action in political party leadership, and citizenship rights has further entrenched systemic discrimination,” she added.
The APC stalwart commended the Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, for her efforts in advancing gender equality, but stressed that progress in Nasarawa must accelerate.
She urged political parties, civil society and government institutions to deliberately create platforms that support women in elective and appointive positions.
“The argument for women’s inclusion is not just about fairness, it is a developmental necessity. Nasarawa must align with the national vision of inclusive governance,” Abdullahi said. (NAN)