By Joy Odor Abuja
Nigeria’s political parties risk alienating millions of female voters if they fail to adopt the “Twinning Formula,” Deputy National Women Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hajiya Zainab Abubakar Ibrahim, has warned.
Speaking in Abuja on Thursday during an advocacy visit to members of the APC Press Corps, Zainab, who also serves as Deputy National Secretary of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) declared that the fastest route to bridging Nigeria’s political gender gap lies not in legislation but in party-level policy.
“The Twinning Formula is simple: if the president is a man, his vice should be a woman. If the governor is a man, the Deputy must be a woman. The same applies at the local government level. Any governor who pledges this has already won our 100% support,” she said.
Citing her encounter with Gambia’s former Vice President in 2016, Zainab noted that the country’s ruling party had secured women’s rise to power through a deliberate policy mandating female deputies.
She argued that if Nigeria’s APC which controls 24 states, adopted the model, the country would instantly gain 24 female deputy governors.
“The lowest hanging fruit for women’s inclusion is the Twinning Formula. With APC’s reach, we can achieve this overnight,” she insisted.
While acknowledging ongoing legislative efforts like the Special Seats Bill, Zainab stressed that parliamentary processes face bottlenecks and delays, while party policies deliver immediate results.
She pointed to Rwanda and Namibia, where women now hold over 50 percent of political offices, thanks to similar strategies.
Beyond her APC role, Zainab highlighted her work at IPAC’s women’s directorate, which unites female leaders across Nigeria’s 19 registered political parties.
She said the goal is to cascade the Twinning Formula from the national level down to the wards and grassroots.
Zainab also challenged parties to restore traditions where roles such as treasurer and welfare secretary were reserved for women, noting that inclusivity must begin within party structures before being projected nationally.
On financial barriers that limit women’s participation, Zainab praised the APC for granting free nomination forms to female aspirants, describing it as a bold step that has enabled many women to contest and later secure appointments.
Reaffirming her faith in President Bola Tinubu’s support for women, she cited his record of backing his wife, Senator Remi Tinubu, to serve three terms in the Senate.
Zainab expressed optimism that once gender bills reach the National Assembly, the President would not hesitate to sign them into law.
She also made a direct appeal to the media to amplify women’s inclusion: “We are your mothers, sisters, and daughters. Women excel academically and professionally, yet they are told they cannot aspire to leadership. The press must help drive the message of inclusion and fairness.”
Analysts say the pressure from women’s groups ahead of the 2027 elections could be a game changer.
Parties that embrace the Twinning Formula may unlock unprecedented support, while those that ignore it risk losing the critical women’s vote.
