The Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Community Engagement, Abiodun Essiet, has alleged that political elites are deliberately sidelining women from Nigeria’s political landscape by controlling access to campaign funds and party structures.
Essiet disclosed this at an event held in Abuja on Monday, themed “A New Chapter for Nigeria: Advancing Women Political Representation.
She lamented that women remain systematically excluded due to entrenched patriarchal norms and economic inequalities.
“Politics in Nigeria is expensive, and women are often left out when the money is shared,” she said.
The politician also aimed at the persistent cultural stereotypes that continue to undermine women’s credibility in leadership.
“Add to that the cultural mindset that questions the capacity of women to lead, and you’ll understand why so few make it to the top,” she added.
The forum served as a platform to reintroduce the Gender Reserved Seats Bill, a legislative proposal seeking to create a minimum quota of elective positions exclusively for women at both the federal and state levels.
Essiet stressed that the proposed bill was not about sympathy, but about fairness and national development.
“This bill is not about charity.
“It’s about justice, inclusion, and enabling half of Nigeria’s population to fully participate in national development,” she said.
She argued that the reserved seats are not a cap on women’s ambition but a stepping stone to broader political participation.
“These extra seats are not ceilings, they’re springboards. Women can still contest every open seat available.
“This just creates a more supportive structure for entry and growth,” Essiet said.
Unlike earlier gender bills that failed to scale through the National Assembly, Essiet said the new approach involves a more strategic, multi-level engagement.
“We’re not leaving this to Abuja alone. We are engaging State Houses of Assembly and Local Government Councils as well,” she explained.
She highlighted the alarming underrepresentation of women in local governance, urging Nigerians to reflect on the gender makeup of their councils and assemblies.
“How many women are councillors in your LGA? How many are in state assemblies? Very few.
“That’s the problem. And that must change,” she said.