Adopt ‘twinning’ formula to boost women’s political inclusion, APC women leader urges

The Deputy National Women Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hajiya Zainab Ibrahim, has called on the party to adopt the “twinning” formula to increase the participation of women in politics.

Speaking in Abuja on Thursday during an advocacy visit to the APC Press Corps, Zainab said the fastest route to bridging Nigeria’s gender gap in politics lies in party-level policies rather than legislation.

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“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.

She argued that if the APC, which currently controls 24 states, embraced the model, the nation would instantly have 24 female deputy governors.

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Recalling her encounter with Gambia’s former Vice President in 2016, Zainab noted that the country’s ruling party deliberately advanced women into leadership by mandating female deputies.

She also cited examples from Rwanda and Namibia, where deliberate strategies have propelled women to occupy over 50 percent of political offices.

She urged political parties to in Nigeria revive traditions where offices such as treasurer and welfare secretary were reserved for women, insisting that inclusivity must begin within party structures before it can be projected nationally.

She further appealed to the media to amplify the message of 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,” she said.

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