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The Electoral Hub, an election accountability and advocacy group, named the persistent underrepresentation of women in elective and decision-making positions among its central concerns ahead of Saturday’s Osun State gubernatorial election, in a statement released on August 14, 2026.
The group noted that only five women appear on the Independent National Electoral Commission’s final list of 15 governorship and 15 deputy governorship candidates, a figure it said illustrates the continuing barriers to women’s political representation in the state.
While acknowledging that INEC and other institutions have introduced measures to improve accessibility and participation, The Electoral Hub said political parties and other stakeholders must go further, calling for deliberate and sustained action toward equitable representation and meaningful participation, particularly for women.
The group urged INEC, security agencies, and party structures to build conditions in which women can take part not only as voters but as candidates, party leaders, election officials, and observers. It called for stronger affirmative-action measures, more inclusive party structures, and greater support for women candidates, grounding these demands in Section 14(2)(c) of the Constitution, which provides for citizen participation in governance, and Section 42, which prohibits discrimination.
The statement, signed by Princess Abijah Hamman-Obels, Director of The Electoral Hub, placed particular emphasis on the safety of women in political spaces, calling for measures to prevent sexual and gender-based violence, harassment, intimidation, and discrimination against women, in line with the VAPP Act 2015.
