With less than two years to the 2027 general elections, Ogun State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Motunrayo Adijat Adeleye, on Thursday called for a nationwide women’s movement to rally behind female candidates.
The Commissioner, according to a statement issued by her office, made this call on Thursday at the 9th Voice of Women Conference and Awards in Abuja, warning that the fight for inclusion cannot be left until election season.
The former two-term lawmaker, who spoke during the Fireside Chat session themed “Breaking Barriers through the Power of Community”, emphasized that women must rediscover their historic collective strength to shift Nigeria’s political landscape.
She said, “If a single woman could once gather all women to stop what she felt was unfair, that collective power has always been there. At some point, we lost it. We have to come together as one. Nobody can walk alone to achieve the desired goal of women.”
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The commissioner identified economic empowerment as the foundation for political participation, noting that women with resources are better equipped to navigate Nigeria’s money-driven political terrain.
Adeleye stated that “When women who couldn’t afford land to farm before come together to get land and are making money, that is economic empowerment, which is key to political empowerment. When you have money, politics is easier. Money is important”.
She cited the example of the Nigeria for Women Project, a World Bank-supported initiative piloted in Ogun State, as evidence of how grassroots mobilisation can translate into political influence.
Through affinity groups, Adeleye said that women have pooled resources, accessed farmland, and trained in leadership, enabling them to back candidates in local elections.
She said that “We saw in the last local government election women coming together saying, ‘this is the person we want you to support”.
Adeleye also addressed structural imbalances in Nigeria’s political system, arguing that equity—not just equality—is the pathway forward.
“There cannot be equality without equity. Men already have 95 percent of leadership. We must first talk about equity to catch up,” she declared, underscoring the need for deliberate policies to correct historical gender exclusion.
Rejecting a common stereotype, the commissioner pushed back against the notion that women fail to support one another. “I told the men, stop coming to us to say women are their own enemies.
“For one woman who is not supporting me, I have 10 women who are supporting me,” she said, insisting that solidarity among women is already reshaping political dynamics.
Drawing on her over 30 years in politics and public service, she credited humility, mentorship, and service as values that sustained her journey.
She however, cautioned against selfish leadership, saying: “Some women ride on the back of other women to get positions. When they get there, they forget those women. I want to see twenty more women uplifted, even if in lesser positions, so they can speak for us.”
The Commissioner also urged collaboration between urban and rural women, insisting that bridging the divides will strengthen women’s influence ahead of 2027.
“One cannot rise without the other. We need urban women, even those not contesting, to support rural women and those beginning their journey. Mentorship and community-building are critical,” she stressed.
Looking ahead, the commissioner warned that time is short and women must act immediately.
She added that “The journey starts now. We do not have two years. We talk only near elections and then go to sleep. There must be sustainable conversations spanning years”.
Urging women to mobilise in their communities, Adeleye stated that “For every woman standing for election in your state, support her. If you are not contesting, support those who are. Women have the power, the tenacity, and the resilience to make it.”
Similarly, on September 24th, 2025, Elect HER, a pan-African non-partisan organization advancing gender-inclusive democracy in Anambra State, had focused on advancing gender-inclusive democracy and strengthening women’s participation in the upcoming November 8, 2025, governorship election.
The event brought together key stakeholders, including representatives of INEC, security agencies, political parties, civil society, academia, and grassroots women leaders, to discuss strategies for increasing women’s involvement in the electoral process.
Deliberations emphasized voter mobilization, removing barriers to women’s political participation, and promoting credible, peaceful, and inclusive elections. The initiative was supported by the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria, EUSDGN, programme.
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