By Vincent Ujumadu
As the November 8 Anambra State governorship election approaches, a study by ElectHER, a Pan-African non-partisan organisation promoting gender-inclusive democracy, has revealed that women are likely to dominate the electoral process based on voter data.
The report, released after an advocacy programme in Awka with support from the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN), showed that women make up a majority of the new registrants. Out of the recently conducted voter registration exercise, 97,832 (58%) were women, while 70,355 (42%) were men.
While women’s overall representation in Nigeria’s public service remains low, Anambra stands out as one of the most progressive states in terms of female political participation and leadership since the return to democracy in 1999. The state has produced a female governor (2006–2007), four female senators, 12 female House of Representatives members, and six female ministers.
“Why this matters for the 2025 election is that the legacy of visibility signals opportunity as Anambra women enter the polls with a strong precedent, though the structural and institutional barriers remain,” the report noted.
Despite this history, the report observed that female representation at the top level remains limited, with only two of the 16 governorship candidates in 2025 being women. However, women make up 37.5% of deputy governorship candidates on male-led tickets, a trend the organisation suggested reflects political parties’ preference for gender optics rather than enabling women to lead.
ElectHER’s Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Ibijoke Faborode, also expressed concern about the security situation ahead of the polls.
Her report stated: “The security landscape in Anambra ahead of the November 2025 election is already showing signs of tension, with gendered risks particularly evident. Based on reported incidents and voter sentiment data, residents in some LGAs highlighted fear of violence and insecurity as deterrents to voting. A Red-Amber-Green security assessment has been developed across the state’s 21 LGAs, with red indicating high risk, amber moderate risk, and green low risk.”
The report urged coordinated action from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, and political parties to ensure a credible, inclusive, and violence-free election. Among its recommendations were:
INEC should scale up adhoc staff recruitment beyond the planned 26,000 to match the expanded voter register.
The commission should dismantle bottlenecks in PVC collection and intensify voter education, especially among women.
At least one female official should be deployed per polling unit.
Security agencies should deploy proactively to flashpoints with gender-sensitive measures, including female officers and rapid response systems to prevent intimidation of female voters, staff, and candidates.
Political parties should align campaign messages with voter priorities—security, job creation, and healthcare—while also giving visibility to female candidates and ensuring inclusivity in their campaign structures.
As part of the advocacy, ElectHER officials visited key stakeholders, including the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). The State Commandant, Maku Olatunde, reaffirmed the Corps’ readiness to secure the process before, during, and after the polls, assuring that female officers would be deployed in adequate numbers.
He stressed that inclusivity in security operations is essential for credible elections.
The post Anambra 2025: Report shows women likely to dominate voting appeared first on Vanguard News.
