Ex-presidential Candidate Makes Case For Female President

Ahead of the 2027 general election, a former presidential candidate, Professor Funmilayo Adesanya-Davies, has made a case for the emergence of a female president in Nigeria.

She said Nigeria is ripe for a woman president, urging the political parties to make deliberate decisions to field women as presidential candidates.

Adesanya- Davies advised Nigeria to take emulate  Liberia where a woman had been a president and Namibia which has elevated women into top leadership roles.

“Nigeria stands today at a defining crossroads in her democratic journey.

The cries of her people are unmistakable—yearning for justice, equity, security, and transformational leadership. Yet, in the midst of this national search for direction, one critical question persists: Why has Nigeria not yet entrusted her highest office to a woman?

“Across Africa, history has already provided us with compelling answers. In Liberia, Africa witnessed the emergence of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the first elected female president on the continent.

Her administration restored global confidence in Liberia, strengthened institutions, and stabilized a nation that had endured years of civil unrest.

“ More recently, Namibia has also demonstrated progressive political inclusion by elevating women into top leadership roles, affirming that competence, vision, and integrity—not gender—are the true qualifications for governance.

“These examples are not isolated successes; they are powerful signals that Africa is evolving, and that women are not only ready but exceptionally capable of leading nations toward peace, prosperity, and sustainable development.

“Nigeria, often referred to as the “Giant of Africa,” cannot afford to lag behind in this crucial dimension of leadership,” she stated .

Adesanya – Davies posited that Nigerian women have consistently proven their capacity across all sectors and  have been the silent architects of resilience and progress.

She however, lamented that:” Yet, despite their undeniable contributions, women remain grossly underrepresented in Nigeria’s highest political offices. This imbalance is not merely unjust—it is a strategic disadvantage. A nation that sidelines over half of its population in decision-making processes undermines its own potential for growth and stability.

The call for a woman president in 2027 is not a sentimental appeal; it is a national imperative.”

She added:” Women bring a unique leadership perspective—one that emphasizes collaboration, compassion, inclusiveness, and long-term societal wellbeing. Evidence across the world shows that women leaders often prioritize education, healthcare, family welfare, and peacebuilding—areas that Nigeria desperately needs to strengthen.

“ Moreover, women leaders have demonstrated remarkable discipline in resource management and transparency, qualities essential for tackling corruption and restoring public trust in governance.

“ The 2027 general elections present Nigeria with a historic opportunity to correct decades of political imbalance. It is time to move beyond rhetoric and take deliberate action. Political parties must go beyond tokenism and create genuine pathways for female candidates to emerge and thrive. The electorate must also rise above ingrained biases and embrace competence over convention.”