Ahead of the 2015 elections, Nigerian female politicians are demanding a 50% representation in both elective and appointive positions in government.

Activists at a gathering organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Women in Parliament in Abuja said that political parties must allow female politicians to vie for political offices without any form of discrimination.

Having commended President Goodluck Jonathan for 35% of female representation into appointive offices in his cabinet, conveners of the meeting want political parties to also give women more opportunities ahead of the 2015 elections.

According to them, it is the right time for female politicians to begin lobbying at their party levels, ahead of party primaries.

They believe the advantages for more female representation is huge and the time to strategize is now, towards removing barriers that could stop them from achieving their political objectives.

Nigeria’s 35 % female representations in appointive offices in the current administration is the highest it has achieved since independence.

However, experts, including a professor at the Faculty of Law, Ahmadu Bello University, Taofik Ladan, noted that for women to reach their target of 50% representation, both in elective and appointive positions, they must play grass root politics and consolidate on their little successes.

Nigerians go to the polls in February 2015 to elect new leaders that will run the country’s affairs for another four years.