Why Women for 35% Chose Seriake Dickson as Their Patron
In Nigerian politics, when discussions about female leadership arise, political elites are quick to deliver patronizing speeches. They praise women as the “backbone of rallies,” the most reliable voters, and the tireless mobilizers who queue under the scorching sun from dawn to cast their ballots.
Yet, the moment elections are won and the boardroom doors close to allocate ministerial portfolios, parastatal boards, and party tickets, women suddenly find themselves locked outside.
Mouth dey sweet to call woman “our mothers and sisters”, but when time reach to share power, grammar go change.
— Political Razzmatazz (@Politicalrazz) October 4, 2026
Breaking through this decades-long wall of exclusion requires more than polite seminars; it demands deliberate, uncompromising champions in high places. That is why the Women for 35% movement took a decisive step by officially celebrating and appointing former Bayelsa State Governor and Senator representing Bayelsa West, Henry Seriake Dickson, as its National Patron.
The Grim Reality of the Numbers
The celebration of Senator Dickson by Women for 35% is not just ceremonial praise—it is an urgent reaction to a glaring democratic deficit.
According to data highlighted during the official appointment detailed in the AJU Morgan Elumelu Foundation announcement on Dickson’s patron role, women currently occupy barely 4% to 5% of elective positions across Nigeria’s legislative chambers and executive boards.
Despite Nigeria officially committing to the 1995 Beijing Declaration and adopting a National Gender Policy that recommends affirmative action for women at 35%, implementation has remained stalled by patriarchal gatekeeping.
For the Women for 35% movement, Dickson’s acceptance of the patron role is a loud declaration:
- It affirms that women’s voices matter in the highest corridors of power.
- It insists that women belong at the decision-making table as equals, not spectators.
- It demonstrates that closing the political gender gap requires men of influence who are willing to dismantle barriers rather than protect the status quo.
Representation is not a political favor granted out of pity; it is a democratic necessity. Nigeria cannot unlock its full economic and social potential while half of its population is systematically sidelined from governance.
A Track Record of Action Over Empty Promises
Why has Senator Seriake Dickson earned such genuine loyalty from female advocates? The answer lies in his long-standing antecedents.
During his eight-year stewardship as Governor of Bayelsa State under the Restoration Agenda, Dickson moved female empowerment from campaign rhetoric into official executive policy:
- Cabinet and Strategic Appointments: He consistently ensured female representation across the State Executive Council, swearing in multiple female commissioners, special advisers, and permanent secretaries.
- Institutional Benchmarks: He supported and worked closely with women at the highest levels of the judiciary, notably upholding administrative harmony alongside long-serving Chief Judge, Justice Kate Abiri.
- Social and Healthcare Safety Nets: Through initiatives like the Bayelsa State Health Services Scheme (BHSS), his administration directly addressed maternal health and child welfare, creating institutional safety nets for vulnerable women across riverine communities.
In the National Assembly, as recorded on his official National Assembly legislative profile, Dickson has candidly addressed the structural, financial, and cultural bottlenecks that lock women out of politics. He has repeatedly called for institutional reforms to subsidize nomination forms for female aspirants, curb electoral thuggery that intimidates women, and legally enforce affirmative action for women across all political party constitutions.
He has not told women to wait for an undefined future. He has told Nigeria that women must be included now.
Her Voice. Her Vote. Her Future.
The Women for 35% movement is anchored on a clear triad: Her Voice. Her Vote. Her Future.
For that conviction to translate into reality, women need allies who listen rather than lecture, and who amplify their message rather than speaking over them. Senator Dickson has proven to be that dependable partner.
You no fit clap with one hand. Nation-building requires equal participation. As Dickson prepares for the 2027 senatorial contest under the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), the endorsement from Women for 35% recognizes not just a seasoned parliamentarian, but an upright advocate who understands that a nation that suppresses its women is actively sabotaging its own progress.
What Do You Think?
Can Nigeria realistically achieve the 35% benchmark for female representation in the 2027 general elections without passing strict constitutional quotas? What concrete steps must political parties take right now to move beyond using women solely as campaign mobilizers?
Share your candid thoughts, perspectives, and reactions in the comments below!