As the world celebrates the 2023 International Women’s Day (IWD), it is important to take a look at women participation in politics. Again, like the gender constitution of the previous and current National Assembly (NASS), Nigeria’s 10th Senate and 10th House of Representatives, which will resume by June is male-dominated, raising concerns about the lip service paid to affirmative action as well as gender and equal opportunity in the West African country.
Characteristically, of the new crop of federal lawmakers elected during the just-concluded February 25 presidential and National Assembly polls, only 15 of the 423 legislative seats declared so far by the electoral body are women while 408 are men. In other words, women represent 3.5% while men has 96.5% of the 423 seats
The elected legislators include 98 out of 109 Senate, and 325 out of 360 House of Representatives seats. Altogether, seven parties won in the Senate, while eight parties won House of Representatives seats. Whilst the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared winners for 423 legislative seats, the electoral umpire indicated that supplementary elections would be conducted in 46 other constituencies.
Of the federal lawmakers elected so far, women got two seats in the red chamber, and 13 seats in the green chamber.
In terms of party representation for the 10th Assembly, INEC said APC won 57 Senate seats; the PDP, 29; LP, 6; SDP, 2; NNPP, 2; YPP, 1; and APGA, 1. For the lower chamber, the electoral chair said the APC has 162 seats; PDP, 102; LP, 34; NNPP, 18; APGA, 4; ADC, 2; SDP, 2; YPP, 1.
Two Female Senator-Elect Only are The deputy governor of Rivers State, Ipalibo Banigo, who was elected the representative for Rivers West Senatorial District under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP
