#NigeriaDecides2023: Presidential Election; Where are the women?

 

The role women play before, during, and after elections cannot be underestimated. All over the world, regardless of a country’s distinct characteristics, women are regarded as fulcrums around which social, economic, and more importantly, political activities of the nation rotate.

Ahead of the 2023 general elections in Nigeria, the Independent National Electoral Commission has indicated there is a 2.8 percent decline in the candidacy of women relative to 2019, with only 10.1 percent of female candidates selected by political parties.

Data available indicates that only one of the 18 presidential candidates vying for the top job; presidency in Nigeria is female. Ojei Chichi is the only female presidential candidate in this year's election and will represent the Allied People's Movement (APM). Before becoming the flagbearer of the Allied People’s Movement, Ojei Chichi was an administrator and politician from the Southern State of Delta.

Intriguingly, since the return of Nigeria to civil rule in 1999, efforts by some women to lead the country have not yielded any fruit. So far, 2003 remains the best attempt by women to occupy the presidential seat. Of the 20 presidential candidates, only two were women- Sarah Jubril of the Progressive Action Congress, and Mojisola Adekunle Obasanjo of the Masses Movement of Nigeria. Since then, the fortunes of women in Nigeria have been dwindling at the presidential polls. In 2007, there was only one woman – Mojisola Obasanjo, who garnered 4,309 votes. Similarly, in 2011, only one woman – Ebiti Ndok contested on the ticket of the United National Party for Development. The 2015 presidential election was not different; Oluremi Sonaiya, a professor, was the only female in a crowd of 14 presidential candidates. She got 13,076 votes. The presidential election held in 2019 had 73 candidates, including six women – the highest so far in the history of Nigeria’s political system.

Despite the ever-growing population of women in Nigeria, for long, women and youths have been marginalized in running the affairs of the country. Ironically, 44.4 million (47.5%) of the 93.5 million of the eligible voters in the general elections in 2023 are women. Borrowing the words of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Legos, Mr. Olusegun Agbaje, "women need to be more involved in political participation to ensure accomplishment of Nigeria’s common goal—free, fair, inclusive, credible, and acceptable general elections." As such, it has become necessary to give women a chance to run the affairs of the nation considering their ever-growing population

Meanwhile, expectations are high as Nigerians prepare to go to the polls on 25th February, 2023. Whoever wins the 2023 election will have an uphill task at hand - to turn the fear of economic collapse into good fortunes for the country. So far, candidates have been framing their campaign messages around issues of reducing insecurity, the economy, as well as the high level of unemployment in the country.

 

AEP
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