Kafilat Ogbara: Political Parties Must Stop Paying Lip Service to Women’s Inclusion

Chairman House of Representatives committee on women affairs and social development and Member of the House of Representatives Kosofe, Hon. Kafilat Ogbara, has called on political parties in Nigeria to move beyond rhetoric and demonstrate genuine commitment to women’s inclusion through transparent, equitable, and merit-based internal democratic processes.

Speaking as a guest speaker at the 2026 National Women’s Summit of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Abuja, themed “Advancing Women’s Inclusion in Politics and Governance: Addressing Barriers to Women’s Participation and Representation,” Ogbara said the true measure of an inclusive democracy is not the visibility of women during political mobilisation, but the extent to which they are entrusted with leadership, influence, and responsibility within political institutions.

“It is neither just nor sustainable for women to be celebrated as the backbone of political campaigns, yet remain underrepresented where critical decisions are conceived and made,” she stated.

The lawmaker also challenged women who have attained positions of leadership to do more in mentoring and supporting other women, stressing that genuine solidarity must extend beyond public declarations to intentional action.

According to her, women leaders have a responsibility to create pathways for capable women to emerge and thrive in politics, noting that meaningful inclusion cannot be achieved if those already in positions of influence fail to open doors for others.

Ogbara further criticised the approach of many political parties to women’s participation, arguing that while parties often profess support for inclusion, their actions tell a different story.

Reflecting on the last round of party primaries, she observed that what many Nigerians witnessed was, in several instances, a process of selection rather than genuine democratic elections. Yet, despite those selection processes, women remained largely excluded.

“If what we witnessed were selections rather than elections, one would have expected more competent women to have been deliberately given opportunities. Unfortunately, even within those processes, women were still overlooked. This demonstrates that many political parties continue to pay lip service to women’s inclusion,” she said.

While acknowledging the importance of the Reserved Seats for Women Bill as a significant legislative intervention, Ogbara maintained that legislation alone cannot substitute for political sincerity.

She emphasised that advancing women’s participation requires political courage, institutional reforms, and a deliberate commitment to dismantling long-standing barriers that limit women’s access to leadership.

“The broader challenge before us is one of political culture and institutional resolve. The advancement of women in politics requires more than symbolic commitments; it demands the courage to dismantle entrenched barriers, the discipline to uphold fairness, and the collective will to ensure that competence, capacity, and character not genderdetermine access to leadership,” she said.

Commending the organisers for convening the summit, Ogbara described the event as a timely platform for strengthening the national conversation on women’s political participation and representation.

She reaffirmed her commitment to supporting reforms, policies, and initiatives that deepen Nigeria’s democracy, strengthen its institutions, and expand opportunities for women to contribute fully to governance and national development.