Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto
The Nigerian Senate has pledged full legislative backing for discourses and initiatives aimed at deepening women inclusion in the country’s electoral system, with Senate President Godswill Akpabio declaring that gender equity must now be placed “on the front burner” of national politics.
Akpabio made the commitment at the maiden Democracy Day Lecture and Book Presentation held at Sokoto State University, Sokoto. The event was organised to honour the memory of Hajiya Surraya Abubakar Margai, described as the first and only elected political office holder in Sokoto State since the return of democracy in 1999.
In a statement issued by his Chief of Staff, Chinedu Francis Akubueze, the Senate President said he was “thrilled” by both the quality of the lecture and the symbolic choice of Margai as the event’s honoree, noting that her legacy underscores the urgent need for broader female participation in governance.
Delivering her remarks, the Director-General of the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization, CBAAC, Aisha Adamu Augie, argued that Nigeria’s democratic system cannot mature without deliberate inclusion and gender sensitivity at all levels of decision-making.
Augie described women as “architects of development” and urged Nigerian men to create space for women to lead, insisting that female leadership brings empathy and balance to the democratic space.
Guest lecturer Prof. Aisha Balarabe Bawa, Professor of History and International Studies at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, challenged the National Assembly to “honestly revisit” pending gender-related constitutional amendments and electoral reforms, warning that inclusive governance remains central to national unity.
Speaking on the theme, ‘Local Beats, Global Standards: Nigeria’s Gender Inclusion and Development Implications’, Prof. Bawa said the commemoration of June 12 must transcend symbolism and serve as a call to action for government, policymakers, and citizens alike.
“The future of Nigeria’s democracy hinges on the inclusiveness of its institutions,” Bawa stated. “Women’s political participation cannot be treated as an afterthought if we desire sustainable progress.”
She added: “A nation that gives women a seat at the table is a nation that secures broader participation, deeper legitimacy, and sustainable progress. The task before us is clear: to build a Nigeria where local democratic seats reflect democratic standards.”
Vice-Chancellor of Sokoto State University, Prof. M. B. Yerima, lent his voice to the campaign, declaring that the era when women were confined to domestic roles was over and that women had proven themselves equal to the task in politics and administration.
Prof. Yerima further asserted that “women are also less corrupt,” urging stakeholders across party lines to create more opportunities for female leadership at federal, state, and local government levels.
The lecture, organised by Sokoto State University in partnership with CBAAC, the Effective Governance Research Institute, and the Productive Community for Sustainable Development Initiative, PCSDI, also featured the unveiling of a book on Margai authored by Dr Odeh Godwin Onuh, Head of Department of History and Diplomatic Studies.
PCSDI Executive Director Nura Bello said the dialogue was designed to provide scholars, policymakers, civil society, and community leaders a platform to deliberate on equitable representation,
Some eminent Nigerians such as Senate Minority Leader Patrick Abba Moro was honoured at the event for his contributions to women and youth empowerment.
