Nigeria women in politics: Dilemma ahead

The political disparity in Nigeria, is no doubt has put women politicians at a disadvantage since 1999 to fully exploring their political aspirations as a citizens. It is evidenced that at the time of birth, men and women were born equal.

Likewise as it relates to academic attainment, there was nothing like discrimination as it is conspicuously displayed today among the political players in Nigeria against the female folk.

Perhaps due to the over flowing of milk and honey embedded in Nigeria politics making it absolutely a no going areas and practically impossible for Nigeria women to scale through the hurdles of electioneering campaign leading to the sharp departure from reality.

However, to further compound the challenges of women ambitions in politics, was the institutionalization of inimical hindrances that over time stunted the process of women participation in active politics leading to the continued marginalization of women to occupy political positions.

Often times, women were forced to face the challenges of political violence, cultural barriers, high monetization of politics, artificial divisions among the women politicians culminating into outright rejection by their colleagues leading to low representative policies especially as it relates to the issues of gender imbalance.

To chronicle the 2011 to 2015 general Elections, recorded so many disparities between men and women politicians in Nigeria.

This disparity was among other strategies to barricade and discourage women from participating actively in political parties of their choice through stringent measures aimed at preventing women politicians to have their voices heard.

Unfortunately however, out of the 20 persons that contested for the position of President, only 1 is woman while 19 are men. Out of the 20 persons for the position of Vice President, 3 are women.

Out the 353 candidates for the post of Governors for the 36 states in the country, 13 are women, 347 deputy governorship positions, 58 are women only 1 got the position of deputy governor.

The 2408 candidates that contested for the seat of house of the representative, women are 220 and men are 2189,only 19 of the women won the seat of house of representative.

Similarly, out of the 890 that contested for the senate in 2011 general Elections,90 are women while men are 800, only 7 women won the position to the senate.

Since 2011 to 2015, no woman is elected governor in Nigeria except few examples of deputy governors. All this figures is grotesquely below expectation as a giant of Africa and the biggest democracy in Africa.

South Africa’s number of female politicians is estimated at 43 per cent, Rwanda female politicians is more than 50 per cent , Nigeria female politicians 8 per cent.

If you take a closely look at the aforementioned statistics, you don’t need to employ the services of the sooth Sayers to tell you that Nigeria women have been relegated to the backdoor and politically marginalized by their men folk in Nigeria political arena.

The systematic exclusion of women from governance in Nigeria is a calculated attempt to deprive women from making an informed decision in a critical areas of our National lives thereby distance women from contributing meaningfully to the socio-political and Economic diversification of the country.

It is paramount to state that the active participation of women in politics is very vital not just for the capacity building component but the monumental achievement inherent in the cross fertilisation of idea from both side of the divide will enhance purposeful and quality leaership in the Nation’s democratization.

Furthermore, it is instructive to mention that in 1985, Nigeria ratified the convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women[CEDAW]Unfortunately the operation of the 30 articles of the convention in Nigeria is not realised.

Nigeria also adopted the 1985 Beijing platform of Action and signed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, International covenant on civil and political Rights, International covenant on Economic, social and Cultural Rights.

The Africa Charter on people’s Rights, the protocol on the Rights of women in Africa[Mapotu protocol] All these laws are made to protect the Rights of women to participate actively in politics without hindrances.

However, to further consolidates on the above Declarations, Nigeria government on her part had added her voice to strengthening the political Rights of women to liberate and bridge the widening gap between men and women in politics and non Elective positions in the country, yet the number of women representation in governance is far below expectation hence the need for all stakeholders to work assiduously toward achieving this objective.

Analyst are of the opinion that Nigeria women are their own problem as relates to political participation when compared to the number of men involved in active political activities across the country.

For Nigeria women to compete favorably with the men folk in politics, there is need for women politicians to holistically and proactively change their negative perception about their colleagues [women]in politics so as to enable them champion the course of building a more robust political strategies to win an Elective positons.

Come to think of it, the population of women put together outweight that of the men. Why women cannot support themselves massively to win an Election?

The time has come for Nigeria women to quickly organise and reorganise themselves to give their men counterparts a fairly fight in political positions in Nigeria.

To achieve this, Nigeria women should reject the quest for materialism during political campaign and momentary satisfaction as the bane of their backwardness politically.

Then, women can now beat their chest through constructive and collective efforts to achieve the long awaited high Elective positions of authority in Nigeria. There should be change in our moral psych both in the political environment and public places.

The era of nick naming Nigeria as a patriarchal society should be totally erased in the coming general Elections 2019 with a view to create a balance between patriarchal and matriarchal society through conscious sensitization and mobilization of women on their political Rights and awareness creations with a view to improve on their participations.

Sadly enough, the pathetic situation of Mrs. Sarah Jibrin the only female Presidential aspirant who was betrayed by womenfolk during the primary Election with one vote out of 5000 delegates is still fresh in our memory.

It is pertinent to say that Nigeria women politicians should stand up shoulder to shoulder in close contest with the menfolk and avoid conspiring against themselves in political positions.

Women should take their rightful positons as a reformist, a managers and above all,the mother of the Nation.

To this end, Nigerians should have faith and believe in the capacity and capability of the female politicians toward building a corrupt free society for the actualisation of the global best practices.

The total revolutionalisation and rejuvination of our political and Economic landscape can be attained if only the women politicians are resolutes and committed to speak with one voice.

Time has come once again for Nigeria women politicians to shine like the out going President of Liberia Helen sleaf johnson if only Nigeria women politicians will stop conspiring and betraying themselves and create a formidable force to win political positions come 2019.

Danjuma is the head media and communication (NOA) Bauchi, (Shaibudanjuma165@yahoo.com)