By Queen Kunde
League of Women voters of Nigeria, NILOWV, has called on relevant stakeholders to avail women more opportunity to serve in political positions in Nigeria.
Speaking at the just concluded Annual General meeting of the league held in Abuja on Wednesday, Stakeholders took turns to highlight issues that can bring such demand to reality.
Country Director, ActionAid Nigeria Andrew Mamedu, in his keynote address said though women inclusion has increased but it is still short of expectations.
According to the ActionAid boss, “In Nigeria’s journey toward a truly inclusive democracy, our shared commitment to electoral integrity and accountability is essential.
Our country’s elections are a defining measure of our democracy’s health, and they are a critical arena for ensuring that every citizen especially every woman has a voice and a stake in governance.
The 2023 Elections: A Reflection on Progress and Gaps
“The 2023 elections in Nigeria marked both progress and challenges. According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), over 93 million voters registered for the elections, with women constituting nearly half of the registered voters. This strong turnout underscores the commitment of Nigerian women to shape their nation’s future. However, despite this, we still saw a stark gender imbalance in candidacy, with only about 9% of candidates in the 2023 elections being women
“The recently amended Electoral Act aimed to bring transparency and greater accountability into our electoral process. The provision for electronic transmission of results was a significant development in ensuring that votes were accurately counted and transparently managed. Yet, challenges persisted. Reports from civil society organizations revealed logistical issues, non-compliance with the electoral act, delays in result transmissions, and instances where electoral officials faced intimidation—issues that directly undermined trust in the process.
Electoral Integrity as a Foundation for Women’s Inclusion Electoral integrity cannot be divorced from women’s inclusion. When electoral processes are compromised, it is often women, marginalized communities, and first-time voters who bear the brunt of disenfranchisement. In a country where over half of the population are women, our elections must be a space where they are not only safe but empowered to make their voices heard. For many women, insecurity and violence around polling units discourage participation. According to a study conducted after the 2023 elections, 39% of women reported fear of violence as a major deterrent to voting.
Speaking on challenges of women voters, he said, “Challenges to Address for Sustainable Inclusion. While there is much to celebrate, significant challenges remain. Political parties need to take concrete steps toward gender equity. Although we are seeing more rhetoric around women’s inclusion, the actual support for female candidates often falls short. Additionally, financial barriers, cultural expectations, and the pervasive threat of gender-based violence in politics continue to stifle women’s ambitions. The statistics are sobering: only 4% of Nigeria’s National Assembly members are women, which is one of the lowest rates globally
In her address, the President of NILOW, Irene Awunah-Ikyegh said that the organisation was now in 36 states and Abuja, but despite the progress made women in Nigeria still face barriers to political participation.
She lamented, “The statistics in the recent 2023 elections are extremely disturbing, it is time to interrogate our electoral integrity and accountability as a nation”.
She therefore hoped that all stakeholders would see the golden opportunity to salvage Nigeria from shackles of a mono representation leadership system that is operating not only in Nigeria but Africa as a whole.
She therefore urged Stakeholders to support the ‘Special Seat Bill’ a critical legislation that aims to reserve seats for women in the government. This bill has the potential to transform the landscape of Nigerian politics and ensure women’s voices”.
The founder and Board of Trustees Chairperson of NILOWV, Dame Esther Uduehi, in her address said her organisation will continue to fight for credible election in Nigeria because if elections are not credible it would be impossible for women to participate in politics.
On her part, the House of Representative’ committee on Women Affairs and Social Development Chairperson Hon. Kafilat Ogbara who hailed the long standing efforts of NILOWV in pushing for more inclusion of women into political space revealed that the 10th NASS is committed to ensuring a lasting solution to gender mainstreaming with the considerations of the Special Seats Bill before it.
According to her “The 10th National Assembly is gender sensitive and has the political will to see to the passage of the Special seats bill before it”
She urged Nigerian women to continue to work hard and Strategize while actively participating and playing significant roles in their various political parties as this will earn them key roles in the Nigerian Polity.
Highlight of the event was the presentation of an award to the Founder/BOT Chairperson of NILOWV, Dame Esther Uduehi by the President of NILOW, Irene Awunah-Ikyegh in recognition of her continued guide to the leadership of the league and support for More Women inclusion in the polity.
The theme of this year’s AGM is ‘Electoral Integrity, Accountability, and Women’s Inclusion’.