The 100 Women Lobby Group has reiterated its displeasure with the poor number of women candidates in the upcoming 2023 general elections especially with available data showing that only 10.1% of the total candidates nationwide are females.
National Coordinator of the group Felicia Onibon, expressed concern at a meeting on Thursday in Abuja tagged “Dissemination on the Analysis/Review of the 2022 Party Primaries and its Implication on Women Political Participation in 2023”.
Onibon noted the myriad of issues around political party’s democratic systems, adding that the main challenge causing the low representation of women is the system of primaries.
“We all know that political parties have been having a lot of issues around party democratic system particularly in the area of primary elections in the political parties.
“A lot of things happened that actually helped in pushing down women in the governance system and structures of Nigeria. I would like to say that the primaries in the Nigerian political system is the foundation of women not been given adequate space in the development of the political space in Nigeria,” she said.
While reviewing the dissemination report, the Director, Center for Gender and Security Studies and Youth Advancement at the University of Abuja, Professor Mabel Evwierhoma, said in the survey involving eight states, respondents blamed low representation on money politics, inadequate awareness, gender based violence, lack of women’s visibility amongst others as the bane of women’s progress.
Many women were not happy with what transpired at the 2022 political primaries and it is crucial that political sensitization is taken to the highest level especially in view of the 2022 electoral act where a lot of youths who constitute over 60 percent of respondents would need to know the various segments of the act.
“The lack of visibility within the political party structure is responsible for some of the negation they felt on the field of active politics.
“Monetization of politics was another finding from the research and many women are not happy that political violence left them at the receiving end at political processes a lot want violence to be curbed and the implication would mean family should support women realize their political dream,” she said.
The Prof. harped the need for women to have more political sensitization and education, stressing that a politically conscientized woman would not be easily asked to renage from the block of vote she has enjoyed within the community, state and the party when it concerns party primaries.
“Another solution would be that women should recognize that their pursuit of political equity means their engagement early enough within the political process and familiariszation with political hierarchy so that no one would ask them to step aside for lack of confidence in their candidacy.
She however expressed optimism in terms of poling that though the percentage is small, it does not preclude the fact that women would actively be involved in governance.
“After 2023 we are going to have more elections and the gains achieved by women in 2023 would further propel more of them to be stakeholders as delegates, as candidates as party flagbearers and even as card carrying members of political parties.
“I’m confident that more women are going to vote and more women being politically audible would mean them displaying the stake they have in the system, would mean them wanting to know about the processes of governance and what it brings to the table for women,” she added.
Earlier, the National President of the Women in Politics Forum (WiPF) Ebere Ifendu, expressed that women were no longer on the pull her down syndrome widely spread by men, adding that women have shown continued support for Senator Benani of Adamawa state and are more enlightened than before on politics.
Meanwhile, a Gender Advocate, Asmau Benzies-Leo, urged women politicians on every advantage at their disposal to run for election, tasking them to be prepared physically, mentally and financially before running for any position.
“This is what the men do and nobody will give you space just for quota system, you have to fight for it. The Electoral Act does not allow any person to form exclusive party but women have the groups to pressurize the political parties so having our own party will be an indictment on the women we want to be with the men, compete with the men,” she stressed.