The Julius Abure-led faction of the Labour Party has pledged to increase opportunities for women in the 2027 general elections.
Speaking on Thursday in Abuja at a news conference hosted by the Aju Morgan Elumelu Foundation (AMEF), which focuses on women’s representation and empowerment, Abure described leadership as a significant national challenge and urged women to join forces to attain greater political power.
According to Abure, the Labour Party has already begun appointing women to political leadership positions and will expand this effort in the next election cycle.
“Our commitment goes beyond involving women in party affairs. We want them to contest elections as well. By 2027, if God keeps us alive, we will ensure even more opportunities for women. We understand the cultural, economic, and financial barriers that women face,” he said.
“The Labour Party is prepared to remove those barriers and make it easier for women to participate.”
AMEF’s Chief Executive Officer, Aju Elumelu, lamented the current lack of female representation in leadership roles across Nigeria. She appealed to President Bola Tinubu and other key figures to work towards achieving 35 per cent female representation in leadership and decision-making roles.
“We want women in leadership, both elected and appointed, not only in politics but across all sectors. We’re not here to fight. President Tinubu, we’re asking for your support. We need everyone on board because right now, we’re barely visible,” she said.
Labour Party National Women Leader, Dudu Manuga, observed that the political space available to women has shrunk over time. She urged the National Assembly to pass the bill proposing special seats for women to ensure fairer representation.
“I’ve never seen such a collective effort to get more women into the legislature. If we can get this bill passed and keep pushing advocacy and mobilisation, we’ll achieve meaningful change,” she stated.
Manuga also called on women across the country to approach their state legislators and lobby for the bill’s passage. “We need to work together to get this done. For now, the political parties still have a lot of catching up to do,” she said.
