Yiaga Africa Urges Female Candidates to Adopt Strategic Campaigns Ahead of 2027 Elections

Yiaga Africa's executive director, Samson Itodo, has called on female candidates contesting the 2027 general elections to adopt strategic campaigns and implement robust measures to protect their votes. This advice comes as the number of female candidates in the 2027 general elections has declined to 9.7 per cent, with only 475 out of 4,899 candidates being female. According to Itodo, the decline is attributed to a lack of internal democracy within political parties.

Itodo identified negative societal attitudes towards women's leadership and the high cost of elections as other major factors affecting women's participation in elections. He noted that some parties view women as not electable and therefore prefer to have men on the tickets. The cost of seeking party nominations has also increased astronomically, making it difficult for women to participate.

The executive director emphasized that credible elections and intensified campaigns for female candidates are critical measures to bridge the gap between women's and men's representation in the 2027 general elections. He advised female candidates to ensure that they campaign actively, bearing in mind that "our politics is local." This involves getting the numbers behind them, focusing on issues, and building a strong support base.

Itodo also stressed the need for parties to demonstrate their support for women participation by putting their resources and support behind them. He noted that if men manipulate elections, women will not emerge as winners. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that elections are credible.

The decline of women in politics is a concerning trend, with a recent report by Dataphyte revealing that women made up only 10 per cent of the 5,094 candidates nominated in the 2023 general elections. This figure has now declined to 9.7 per cent in the build-up to the 2027 general elections.

To address this issue, Itodo advised female candidates to put mechanisms in place to secure their votes, as men will ensure that they do not emerge as winners if they do not take necessary precautions. He emphasized that female candidates should not assume that they will win simply because they are women.

Ultimately, increasing women's representation in politics requires a multifaceted approach that involves parties demonstrating their commitment to women's participation, credible elections, and intensified campaigns. By adopting strategic campaigns and implementing measures to protect their votes, female candidates can overcome the challenges they face and emerge as winners in the 2027 general elections.

Key points

• Yiaga Africa's executive director, Samson Itodo, advises female candidates to adopt strategic campaigns and implement measures to protect their votes.
• The decline of women in politics is attributed to a lack of internal democracy within political parties, negative societal attitudes, and high election costs.
• Credible elections and intensified campaigns are critical measures to bridge the gap between women's and men's representation in the 2027 general elections.