Nenadi Usman, national chairperson of the Labour Party (LP), has challenged Nigeria’s political elite to dismantle systemic barriers preventing women from attaining political power.
Usman spoke on Thursday in Abuja, at a high-level democracy dialogue organised by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation to commemorate the 2026 International Women’s Day, according to a statement issued by the foundation.
The event, themed ‘Democracy and the Voice of Women: From Voice to Power’, brought together political leaders, civil society organisations, and members of the diplomatic community.
Usman said the dominance of “big money” politics continues to shut women out of elective positions.
“I don’t see the reason why you must spend so much to seek an elective position. It is not right,” Usman said.
“As a leader in the Labour Party, I have taken it upon myself to make it easier for women to contest. You cannot be talking from outside; you must talk from inside.”
The LP chairperson also called for strategic collaboration among women across political parties, saying unity is necessary to improve women’s electoral chances.
“We need to get to the point where women contesting a single seat can step down for one another to ensure victory. Otherwise, our voices will never be heard,” she said.
Delivering the keynote address, Ene Obi, former country director of ActionAid Nigeria, said excluding women from leadership weakens democracy.
“In Nigeria, where challenges like insecurity, poverty, and inequality hit women hardest, excluding half the population from power is like running a race with one leg tied,” Obi said.
She added that structural barriers such as patriarchy, expensive campaign financing, and political violence continue to discourage women from seeking public office.
“Patriarchy runs strong in our culture, politics, and even party structures. Women face financial barriers because campaigns are expensive, and funding often flows to men. Political violence, harassment, and godfatherism intimidate many from stepping up,” she said.
“Religion and tradition sometimes get weaponised to justify exclusion.”
Obi said most political parties only pay lip service to gender inclusion by fielding few female candidates or placing them in unwinnable positions.
“True democracy thrives only when every voice counts, including voices of persons with disability. From voice to power is not a dream; it is a necessity for our nation’s future,” she added.
Also speaking, Ann Iyonu, executive director of the foundation, said the dialogue was convened to shift conversations about women’s participation in politics from rhetoric to tangible political influence.
“We need to move beyond placing women in positions where they must constantly struggle. It is time to enact laws that dismantle the structural and systemic barriers limiting women’s participation in governance,” Iyonu said.
