Breaking The Glass Ceiling At INEC: The Case For A Female Chairman -By Isaac Asabor

As Nigeria inches toward another crucial leadership transition at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), one conversation that must not be ignored is the urgent need to appoint a woman as the next Chairman of the Commission. For more than six decades of electoral administration, from the Federal Electoral Commission (FEDECO) to the National Electoral Commission (NEC), and now INEC, no woman has ever been given the opportunity to lead the body responsible for managing Nigeria’s democracy. That reality is both telling and troubling.

The absence of a woman at the helm of INEC is not just a statistical oversight; it is a glaring reflection of how Nigeria continues to marginalize half of its population in decision-making spaces. In a country where women constitute nearly 50 percent of the population and play significant roles as voters, civil servants, observers, and even electoral officers, it defies logic that none has ever been considered worthy to lead the electoral umpire.

This conversation is not about tokenism or gender sympathy, it is about equity, competence, and the credibility of Nigeria’s democratic process. Nigerian women have consistently proven their leadership mettle across sectors, often under more difficult conditions than their male counterparts. From Dora Akunyili’s fearless reforms at NAFDAC to Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s trailblazing economic stewardship and global leadership at the World Trade Organization, to Amina Mohammed’s international diplomacy as Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Nigerian women have demonstrated excellence, integrity, and transformational leadership on the global stage.

If these women can shape global policy and manage institutions with billions in budgets, why should leading INEC, a constitutionally independent body, be considered beyond the capability of women? The issue here is not a lack of qualified female candidates but a lack of political will to appoint them.

Nigeria cannot forget the high level of patriotism displayed by Professor Nnenna Oti, who served as the INEC Returning Officer in Abia State during the 2023 governorship election. As popularly known, she stands as a shining example of integrity, courage, and professionalism in Nigeria’s electoral process. Despite intense pressure, threats, and lucrative offers to compromise the will of the people, she upheld the sanctity of the ballot and ensured that the true outcome prevailed. Her uncommon display of character in the face of political intimidation underscores the transformative impact that women of principle can bring to public service. It is precisely this kind of ethical fortitude and moral clarity that Nigeria needs at the helm of its electoral body, making a strong case for a female successor to Professor Mahmood Yakubu as the next INEC Chairman, someone who can restore public confidence and strengthen the nation’s democracy through fearless and transparent leadership.

Without a doubt, INEC occupies a strategic position in Nigeria’s democracy. Its Chairman is not just an administrator but the moral compass of the electoral process. The credibility of elections, the trust of citizens, and the integrity of governance all depend on how the Commission is led. At a time when confidence in Nigeria’s elections is waning, amid persistent concerns over vote-buying, logistical failures, voter suppression, and the manipulation of technology, the Commission needs leadership that can restore trust and project transparency. A woman at the helm could bring that needed change in tone and culture.

Research and experience have shown that women in leadership often bring distinctive strengths, greater attention to detail, inclusiveness, and empathy. They tend to foster collaboration, listen more, and act with moral conviction. These are not sentimental traits; they are leadership assets that Nigeria’s electoral system badly needs. When women lead, they often prioritize the collective over the personal and emphasize fairness and accountability, values that are essential for an institution like INEC.

Across Africa, women have led key national institutions and demonstrated that competence has no gender. In Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa, women have occupied sensitive electoral, judicial, and administrative positions with distinction. Nigeria cannot continue to trail behind on such an important front. The rest of the continent is proving that breaking barriers for women strengthens democracy rather than weakens it.

Critics who insist that gender should not be a factor in the appointment of the next INEC Chairman miss the essence of this argument. The call is not to pick any woman but to select a qualified one from the many eminently capable Nigerian women with the right blend of administrative, legal, and ethical grounding. Names abound in academia, the judiciary, the civil service, and civil society, women who have built careers on integrity and institutional reform. The argument is simple: Nigeria’s democracy will be stronger when its leadership reflects the diversity of its people.

Beyond symbolism, appointing a woman as INEC Chairman would send a powerful message about Nigeria’s seriousness toward gender inclusion and democratic fairness. It would also align with global and regional commitments Nigeria has signed onto, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 5) and the African Union’s Agenda 2063, both of which advocate gender equality in leadership. More importantly, it would inspire millions of Nigerian girls and women to believe that public service is not a male preserve.

Nigeria’s history is filled with examples of women who rose above systemic barriers to lead with courage. The likes of the late Dr. Ameyo Adadevoh, who risked her life to contain the Ebola outbreak; the late Dora Akunyili, who confronted corruption in the pharmaceutical sector; and Justice Aloma Mukhtar, Nigeria’s first female Chief Justice, all stand as living testaments that women do not need to be given power, they only need not to be denied it.

The argument for a female INEC Chairman also ties directly into Nigeria’s larger struggle for inclusive governance. The statistics remain alarming: women occupy less than 7 percent of elective positions across the country and less than 10 percent of appointed federal positions. These figures reflect a chronic imbalance that must be corrected through deliberate action. Inclusion is not achieved by accident, it is achieved by intent.

Appointing a woman as INEC Chairman would be a bold and historic step toward correcting this imbalance. It would set a precedent for other public institutions and political structures to follow, sending a clear message that gender should no longer be a barrier to leadership. It would also reinforce the credibility of INEC itself, by projecting an image of fairness and balance in the very institution tasked with ensuring fair play in elections.

Furthermore, such an appointment would hold both symbolic and practical importance for Nigeria’s democracy. Symbolically, it would mark a break from the past, a decisive move away from the patriarchal tradition that has dominated the country’s political and institutional leadership. Practically, it could introduce a leadership style that emphasizes transparency, inclusion, and responsiveness to citizens’ needs, qualities that Nigeria’s electoral system desperately requires.

As the tenure of the current INEC leadership winds down, the Federal Government has an opportunity to make history, to not just fill a vacancy, but to correct a legacy of exclusion. The President, in exercising his constitutional prerogative, should rise above political considerations and make a decision that strengthens Nigeria’s democracy and aligns with the spirit of fairness enshrined in the 1999 Constitution.

It is time to move beyond rhetoric and token gestures. Nigeria cannot continue to preach equality while practicing exclusion. Our democracy cannot mature when half of its citizens are systematically kept away from leadership. The glass ceiling at INEC has stood unchallenged for too long, it is time to break it.

Appointing a woman as the next INEC Chairman would not only redefine leadership in Nigeria’s public institutions but also stand as a national statement that competence, not gender, is what truly matters. It would inspire a new generation of women to engage more confidently in the political process and restore faith in the promise of Nigeria’s democracy.

The world is watching. Nigeria has the chance to make history, not by words, but by action. The Federal Government must seize this moment and appoint a competent woman as the next INEC Chairman. In doing so, it will not only be breaking the glass ceiling but setting a foundation for a stronger, fairer, and more inclusive democracy.