INEC Issues Gender Quota Warning as Pro-Tinubu Groups Launch 2027 Campaign
Nigeria's electoral commission has warned political parties against excluding women from primaries ahead of the 2027 elections, while support groups in Ondo State pledge over one million votes for President Tinubu's re-election bid.
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Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has issued a stern warning to political parties that any primary elections excluding women will be rejected, as early campaign mobilization for the 2027 presidential election intensifies.
The electoral body's declaration comes as support groups in Ondo State have begun pledging substantial voter turnout for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's anticipated re-election campaign, despite the election being more than a year away.
INEC Sets Gender Inclusion Benchmark
According to Vanguard News, INEC announced that primaries failing to include women candidates would not meet the commission's regulatory standards for the 2027 general election. The warning represents a significant policy stance on gender representation in Nigerian electoral politics, where women have historically faced barriers to political participation.
The commission's position aligns with ongoing efforts by civil society organizations and international observers to increase women's representation in Nigeria's political landscape. Women currently hold fewer than 10% of elective positions in Nigeria's National Assembly and state legislatures.
Early Campaign Mobilization in Ondo
In Ondo State, two separate groups have publicly committed to delivering significant vote margins for President Tinubu in 2027. Non-indigenes residing in the state pledged to mobilize "no fewer than one million voters" for the president's re-election, The Nation Newspaper reported.
Separately, the Ondo Youth Alliance for Tinubu (OYAT) vowed to "double the number of votes recorded for President Bola Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election," according to Vanguard News. Tinubu won Ondo State in the 2023 presidential election with approximately 369,924 votes, representing 67.8% of valid votes cast in the state.
Electoral Logistics and Preparations
Beyond regulatory warnings and campaign pledges, INEC has also received logistical support from the Nigerian Air Force to enhance election operations, Vanguard News reported. The military's involvement in election logistics has been a standard practice in recent Nigerian elections, particularly for transporting materials to remote areas.
The early mobilization efforts and INEC's gender inclusion directive signal the beginning of what is expected to be a highly contested electoral cycle. President Tinubu, who assumed office in May 2023, has not formally declared his intention to seek re-election, though the emergence of support groups suggests preparations are underway within his political base.