On Saturday, June 20, starting at 8:30 a.m., Ekiti State residents will head to 2,445 polling units to choose their next governor. But there is a glaring absence: not a single woman is running for the top job. This is a state that prides itself on high literacy rates, yet the ballot tells a different story, one of persistent barriers that keep women out of Nigeria’s highest elective offices. For years, political parties, civil society groups, and lawmakers have pushed reforms to boost women’s representation, but legislative hurdles and a lack of political will have stalled progress.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) candidate list confirms all governorship candidates are men. Only four women are running for deputy governor. This is a step back from 2022, when two women vied for governor and seven for deputy among 16 contenders. This year, over one million voters are registered, up from 900,000 last time. Fourteen candidates are in the race. Incumbent Governor Biodun Oyebanji, 58, seeks reelection under the All Progressives Congress (APC), with Deputy Governor Monisade Afuye, 67, as his running mate. The Labour Party (LP) fields Olajuyin Oyebanji, 67. Others include David Falegan (Accord), Olu Omotosho (Action Alliance), Patrick Bejide (African Democratic Congress), Ayodeji Ojo (ADP), Olarenwaju Anifowose (APM), Olaiya Awogbemi (Action Peoples Party), Praise Ayodele (Peoples Redemption Party), Ayodele Osinkolu (Young Progressives Party), Wole Oluyede (Peoples Democratic Party), and Damilola Adetunji (Zenith Labour Party). Younger contenders are Abegunde Blessing of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), 35, and Akande Samuel of the African Action Congress (AAC), 36.
Unlike the 2022 three-way contest between Oyebanji, former governor Segun Oni (Social Democratic Party), and Bisi Kolawole (Peoples Democratic Party), analysts see this election as a predictable win for the incumbent. Oyebanji won decisively in 2022 with 187,057 votes, beating Oni (82,211) and Kolawole (67,457), pushing the PDP to third place for the first time since 1999 and making the SDP the dominant opposition. The absence of female candidates mirrors a national trend. Despite women making up roughly half of Nigeria’s population and voters, they are severely underrepresented in elective offices, especially executive roles.
The four female deputy candidates are Ms. Afuye of the APC, Dorcas Adebiyi of the PRP, Adenike Ilesanmi of the APM, and Itunu Ibitoye of the ADP. Gender advocates say deputy slots often serve as tokens of inclusivity without ceding real power. So why no women for the top office? Jide Ojo, a development consultant, calls it an age-old challenge rooted in patriarchy. He describes it as a “very sad commentary on Nigerian democratic sojourn” and expected President Bola Tinubu to implement gender policies, given his wife Oluremi Tinubu’s historic three-term Senate career. Ojo says constitutional-backed affirmative action is needed. He blames the political system: “For political parties like PDP, APC, APGA, ADC, NDC, none has a significant number of women in their National Working Committee or State Working Committee. That’s where it should start.”
Gbenga Adesunloro, a political analyst, argues that political ambition requires resources and risk tolerance that many women lack. He calls for conditional provisions to help women enter politics, noting that followership, financial stability, and networks are crucial. Ms. Afuye, the incumbent deputy governor, is the most prominent woman on the 2026 ballot. Her incumbency and APC affiliation give her an edge over other female candidates, but whether that triggers a political shift is uncertain. One thing is clear: the 2026 Ekiti governorship election will not produce the state’s first female governor. The ballot has sealed that fate. Bukky Shonibare, executive director of Invictus Africa, says reaching the 35% women’s representation benchmark would be a milestone, showing Nigeria’s commitment to gender equality and inspiring women and girls. By leading in inclusivity, Nigeria could foster social unity and sustainable growth.
