2027 Election: Tallen Demands 50-50 Male-Female Candidate Pairing
Former Minister Calls for Gender Parity in Nigerian Politics
Former Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen, has urged political parties to adopt a 50-50 gender pairing model for candidate nominations in the 2027 general elections. She emphasized that every male candidate should be paired with a female counterpart at all levels of political contests.
Tallen warned that failing to achieve equal participation between men and women would damage Nigeria’s democratic credibility on the global stage. Her remarks came during a two-day capacity-building conference for women political leaders in Abuja, organized by the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in collaboration with the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC).
Moving Beyond 35% Affirmative Action
The former minister declared that the longstanding advocacy for 35% affirmative action is no longer sufficient, insisting that Nigeria must now embrace full gender parity. She highlighted that Nigeria currently ranks among the bottom five countries globally in women’s parliamentary representation.
“We’re not just demanding 35 percent anymore; we’re demanding 50-50 — the twinning method,” Tallen stated. “Namibia has done it. Rwanda has even exceeded it. Gambia has done it. Dakar has done it. These are smaller African countries and they all look up to Nigeria.”
Global Comparisons and Nigeria’s Standing
According to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the global average for women in parliament stands at 27.2%, with African countries averaging a similar figure. Rwanda leads with 64% female parliamentary representation, while six countries have achieved or exceeded 50% gender parity.
Tallen noted that unless drastic action is taken, Nigeria might not attain gender parity in parliament for another 40 to 50 years. She proposed the “Zebra Policy” – a 50/50 pairing of male and female candidates – and called for 50% of political party leadership positions to be reserved for women.
Stakeholders Echo Calls for Inclusion
Other stakeholders at the event, including Minister of Women Affairs Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim and IPAC National Chairman Yusuf Dantalle, reinforced the call for greater inclusivity in governance. Sulaiman-Ibrahim described the conference as a “landmark step” in addressing barriers to women’s political participation.
Prof. Ayo Omotayo, Director-General of NIPSS, emphasized that inclusive politics is central to national development, stating: “This deficit in women’s representation is not just a matter of gender equity. It is a fundamental challenge to the inclusiveness and effectiveness of our democracy.”
Tallen concluded with a challenge to Nigeria’s leadership: “We call ourselves the giant of Africa. How can you be a giant without showing the example? There is no representation at the international level that will be accepted without the inclusion of women.”
Full credit to the original publisher: The Guardian