Why Atiku, ADC, Nigeria’s opposition parties should consider female vice president

By Princess Islamiyat Oyefusi

As Nigeria approaches another defining political season, one urgent call is rising above the noise: opposition parties must seriously consider presenting a female vice-presidential candidate for the first time in the nation’s history. Such a bold step is no longer merely symbolic—it is strategically necessary, democratically overdue, and socially transformative.

For decades, Nigerian politics has witnessed the underrepresentation of women at the highest levels of leadership. While women have excelled as lawmakers, ministers, captains of industry, and leaders in civil society, the executive arm of government remains overwhelmingly male. Yet the political environment of today demands innovation, inclusion, and fresh credibility—qualities that women leaders across Nigeria have demonstrated repeatedly.

Opposition parties—those seeking to challenge dominant political structures—have a unique opportunity to reshape Nigeria’s leadership narrative. By putting forward a competent, nationally accepted female vice-presidential candidate, they can distinguish themselves as champions of progress, inclusivity, and genuine political reform.

This is not simply about gender for its own sake. It is about strategy, voter psychology, and national renewal.

Women constitute nearly half of Nigeria’s voting population. Young voters—frustrated with old political patterns—are demanding change. Civil society is increasingly vocal about the absence of women in political decision-making. A female vice-presidential candidate offers the potential to energize voter blocs that feel ignored, attract new constituencies, and signal a real departure from politics as usual.

Nigeria has no shortage of qualified women—former ministers, respected legislators, experienced technocrats, economic experts, human-rights advocates, and grassroots mobilizers who have built credibility across geopolitical zones. These women bring not only competence, but also the stabilizing and bridge-building qualities that Nigeria’s political environment urgently needs.

For opposition parties seeking to win national acceptance, this is the moment to demonstrate that they are not merely alternative political brands, but alternative political visions.

By considering a female vice-presidential candidate, they can lead a transformation that goes beyond party lines and begins to shift the foundations of Nigerian democracy itself. It is more than an electoral choice—it is a national statement.

The call is clear, and the moment is ripe: Nigeria’s opposition parties should open the door to female leadership at the highest level. The time to break the ice is now