In commemoration of the International Women’s Day, People Gazette spotlights brave Nigerian women who have aspired for the topmost leadership seat in a largely patriarchal environment.

These women have tried to break free from stiff stereotypes among other challenges towards attaining the highest political position in the country.

Although they’ve so far been unsuccessful in this quest, their groundbreaking efforts are celebrated and upheld as a lamppost of inspiration for millions of other women in Nigeria and the world over.

1) SARAH JIBRIL

Kwara State born Sarah Nnadzwa Jibril holds the record as the first woman to contest to be president of Nigeria under the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in 1992. She however finished a distant fourth in the primaries, losing to the acclaimed winner of the 1993 presidential election, Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola.

Under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), she tried her luck again for election into the position in 1998 but lost in the primaries to eventual winner, Olusegun Obasanjo.

Mrs. Jibril again achieved another feat in 2003 after defecting from the PDP to the Progressive Action Congress (PAC) to become the first woman to become a presidential candidate of a political party. She however lost again to Mr. Obasanjo who was then gunning for his second term in office.

Her final trial was in the 2011 presidential election where she lost in the primaries to President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, garnering disappointingly, just one vote.

2) OLUREMI COMFORT SONAIYA

Born in Ibadan, Oyo State, Oluremi Comfort Sonaiya, a renowned writer and former professor at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), was the only female presidential candidate in the 2015 general elections. 

In 2019, the PhD in Linguistics holder from Cornell University in America again ran under the platform of the KOWA Party founded by her but she lost in the primaries to Dr. Adeshina Byron.

3) FUNMILAYO ADESANYA DAVIES

A native of Kwara State, Funmilayo Adesanya Davies announced her aspiration to become Nigeria’s president in 2019 but was unable to secure a platform to endorse her candidacy.

The professor from the Rivers State University of Education had once admitted to sending text messages to former president Goodluck Jonathan to dump his running mate, Namadi Sambo for her. Her request was however snubbed.

4) ELISHAMA ROSEMARY IDEH

An indigene of Edo state, Elishama Rosemary Ideh was the second woman to officially declare her intention to contest for president in the 2019 general election after Olufunmilayo Adesanya-Davies.

Ms. Ideh, who is a philanthropist, ran under the platform of the Alliance for a New Nigeria in 2018.

5) ADELINE IWUAGWU-EMIHE

The American- trained political administrator ran for the position of president of Nigeria in 2019 under the platform of the All Grand Alliance Party (AGAP).

6) EUNICE ATUEJIDE

At the age of 39, Eunice Atuejide, a legal practitioner founded the National Interest Party (NIP) where she emerged the party’s presidential flag-bearer.

Whilst still a student at the Nigerian Law School in Abuja, she gathered some of her colleagues in the school who share similar ideas with her to form the party. The party eventually got registered in 2018.

7) OBIAGELI KATRYN EZEKWESILI

Co-founder of Transparency International, Oby Ezekwesili from Anambra State, was presidential flag-bearer of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN).

However, the chartered accountant and former education minister, stepped down from the race days to the election, citing her party’s differences of values and visions with hers.

INEC denied her withdrawal from the race as the electoral body said it was too late since all the electoral materials had already been printed.