REPORTER: UCHE NDEKE
Despite the large population of women in Nigeria and their active participation in political activities, only 123 of them will be standing for various elective positions ahead of the 2027 general elections.
This have sparked reactions from some political activists and stakeholders in Anambra state who bared their minds on the development .
Correspondent Uche Ndeke reports that according the comprehensive list reeased by INEC, a total of 1,303 candidates will be standing for the general election with 1,180 of them being males.
Nigerian women no doubt participate massively in politics as they mobilise voters, attend rallies, campaign for candidates, provide grassroots support and, turn out to vote during elections.
However statistics shows that when it comes to occupying elective seats where policies and laws are made, their numbers drop drastically.
The situation has continued to worry some women in Anambra state who identified some human factors as being responsible for the development.
One of the respondents , the Project Communications Assistant of HEIR Women Hub, Kosarachukwu Nweke said the concern is not just the number itself but rather the barriers that women face in moving from political participation to political power.
Miss Nweke who identified money politics, political violence, social and cultural norms as some of the issues hindering many women, recommended that political parties should create more transparent and inclusive pathways for women to emerge as candidates as well as address the financial barriers that make politics inaccessible for most women.
For a former Governorship candidate in Anambra state, Miss Chioma Ifemeludike, the development raises serious concerns and should worry the male that women are only visible during campaigns, voting and other community engagements but decline to stand elective positions.
Miss Ifemeludike said there is the need to review what happens between political participation and access to ballot as many women have shown interest to be in ballot but for numerous reasons including religious, Party issues Environmental , Sexual harassment and traditional values.
A Community leader in Enugwu Ukwu and media practitioner, Mrs Joy Mbachi for the fact that women manage home affairs, relationships, younger ones, parents and relations, they already have the capacity to run political affairs which is a game that involves human beings.
Mrs Mbachi said to change the trend, there is the need for more political education and improvement in Nigeria’s political culture to accommodate the female gender by way of training, sensitisation and self esteem.
Contributing, the Executive Director Zaram Life Foundation, Lady Victoria Onyemaobi, said the female gender are being suppressed, marginalized, intimidated and not allowed to express their political interests by the male dominated political leadership.
For the Executive Director of Care for the Physically Challenged and Destitute Foundation, Mrs Gloria Nwafor , the situation is even more pathetic to women with Disabilities as they face both gender and disability discrimination as they are hardly supported to attain Electoral leadership positions.
Although the 1999 constitution as amended and the 2022 electoral act provides equal rights to both male and female of voting age in Nigeria, the respondents are of the view that political parties and stakeholders must begin deliberate inclusion of women by identifying, training and mentoring them to become leaders and candidates.
