Former Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen, has called on political parties to embrace a 50-50 gender pairing model in nominating candidates for the 2027 general elections, stating that every male candidate must be paired with a female counterpart at all levels of political contests.
She warned that anything short of equal participation between men and women will undermine Nigeria’s democratic credibility and credentials on the global stage.
This is as stakeholders, including the Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim; National Chairman of Nigeria’s Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC, Yusuf Dantalle, Deputy National Woman leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Zainab Ibrahim, demanded inclusivity in governance.
Tallen made the call on Wednesday at the opening ceremony of a two-day capacity building conference for women political leaders themed “Breaking Barriers and Shaping Positive Attitudes for Inclusive Politics in Nigeria organised by the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, NIPSS, in collaboration with IPAC in Abuja.
The former minister declared that the longstanding advocacy for 35 per cent affirmative action was no longer sufficient, insisting that it was time for Nigeria to embrace full gender parity.
She said it is unacceptable that in 2025, Nigeria still ranks among the bottom five globally in women’s representation in parliament.
According to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the global average of women in parliament stands at 27.2 percent, with African countries averaging a similar figure.
Rwanda leads with 64 percent female parliamentary representation, while six countries—Rwanda, Cuba, Nicaragua, Andorra, Mexico, and the UAE, have attained or exceeded 50 percent gender parity.
Tallen noted that unless drastic action is taken, Nigeria may not attain gender parity in parliament for another 40 to 50 years.
She urged political parties to amend their constitutions ahead of the 2027 general elections to include what she called the “Zebra Policy”, a 50/50 pairing of male and female candidates.
She also called for 50 percent of political party leadership positions to be reserved for women.
“One solution I recommend is for all political parties to immediately amend their constitutions to create special seats for women. As we approach the 2027 general elections, parties should mandate the allocation of at least 50 per cent of appointments and elective positions to women, what is popularly known as the Zebra Policy (50/50 pairing of male and female candidates),” she said.
“We’re not just demanding 35 percent anymore; we’re demanding 50-50 — the twinning method. 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.”
Tallen, who has served as deputy governor, said Nigeria’s failure to reflect gender inclusion in its political leadership is an embarrassment for Africa’s most populous nation.
“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. So it’s a wake-up call for Nigeria. We either do it, or we disgrace ourselves at the international forum,” she added.
She lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu for their roles in public service and urged them to prioritise gender inclusion as a legacy of the current administration.
On her part, Sulaiman-Ibrahim, while commending IPAC’s Women’s Directorate and its chairperson, Zainab Abubakar, described the new roadmap as a landmark step” in addressing barriers that limit women’s participation in governance.
The minister urged political parties to go beyond rhetoric and begin allocating real resources, platforms, and protections to ensure female politicians are empowered to succeed.
Also speaking, the Director-General of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Prof. Ayo Omotayo, said the conference came at a defining moment for Nigeria’s democracy, stressing that inclusive politics is central to national development.
“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,” he said.