Where have the women politicians gone?
This, they say, accounts for the unprecedented increase in the number of female aspirants for various positions. However, results from the just-concluded primaries indicate that only a few of them scaled the hurdle even as analysts predict that the outcome of the general elections will not be any better. It started with the defection […]
This, they say, accounts for the unprecedented increase in the number of female aspirants for various positions. However, results from the just-concluded primaries indicate that only a few of them scaled the hurdle even as analysts predict that the outcome of the general elections will not be any better.
It started with the defection to other parties of some female aspirants who saw their aspirations as being threatened by certain factors. Two governorship aspirants on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), from the North Central states of Plateau and Nasarawa, were allegedly muscled out and had to defect to Labour Party (LP) and the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Mrs Pauline Tallen and Hajiya Rakiya Haruna, respectively, to realise their dreams.
The duo said they had to leave when it became obvious that they did not get the support of the largely male-dominated party executives, while also alleging intimidation by those concerned. The complaints are not different from female aspirants in other political parties.
Primary headaches
Although there are general outcries and in some instances, protests by all aspirants who found themselves on the wrong side of the just-concluded primaries, the casualty figure is more on the female aspirants, with rights groups alleging marginalisation by some political parties. Even some incumbents in the National Assembly such as Senator Christiana Anyanwu, journalist, publisher and author, who represents Imo East (Owerri) Senatorial District on the platform of the PDP, lost her return bid. Senator Grace Bent, PDP (Adamawa South), also lost her comeback bid.
The PDP national headquarters also stopped Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello from returning as senator on its platform. Although she lost the bid, another female aspirant, Ms. Lola Edewor-Abiola, daughter of Bashorun Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola, emerged for the Ogun Central Senatorial Zone.
In Plateau State, all the female aspirants to the House of Reps seat on the platform of the PDP crashed out in the primaries, except one. The incumbency factor could not even save Martha Bodunrin who lost to Davou Simon Mwadkon for the Barkin Ladi constituency. Also, Naomi Fanto and Caroline Menyir, both from Shendam/Mikang/ Qua’anpan constituency, lost to Innocent Tirsel. In the same vein, Saleh Jambo’s influence could not save her outspoken daughter, Amina, who also crashed her dreams of representing Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam constituency in the lower chamber, unlike Beni Lar, former PDP chairman, Solomon Lar’s daughter, who clinched the ticket for Langtang/North/South constituency unopposed for a second term.
For the Senate seat in Plateau, Rahilla Baleri, former Deputy Speaker in the state House of Assembly and Cecilia Dapoet, Special Adviser to Governor Jang had their dreams dashed at the primaries, losing tickets to male counterparts.
In Niger State, out of the 24 female aspirants fielded by the PDP, only five succeeded at the primaries to hoist the party’s flag at different levels of elective positions ahead of the April general elections. Both the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), did not field any female candidate during the just-concluded primaries, while the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), is immersed in crisis.
Across all the states of the federation, it was a tale of woe for most female aspirants as their dreams were dashed at the primaries. Of all the losses recorded by them, that of Sarah Jibril was more significant. In the primaries which were aired live on national television, Jibril, who was in the race for the third time, could only get one vote out of the 3,000 delegates of the PDP who graced Eagle Square.
Analysts are of the belief that Sarah’s situation was so because she has no financial wherewithal to mobilise delegates to support her ambition. A female aspirant reacted that: “Sarah had no naira, no dollars, no delegates and no friends in the upper caucus and therefore, lost.”
Along came the blame game
As expected, many of the females who found themselves on the wrong side of the primaries have been blaming their defeat on marginalization and intimidation as well as other underhand activities by their female counterparts and the powers-that-be. For Hajiya Amina Ibrahim, an indigene of Niger State who contested the senatorial seat and lost under the PDP, it was a clear case of injustice. She claims that delegates were not accredited and that as elections were going on, the process was stopped in the name of going for lunch and prayers. “They stayed for over two hours before coming back to start casting votes from people whose tags were not numbered. These people were given N20,000 each to come and vote their desired candidate”.
Also, Hajiya Rakiya Haruna who aspired for the governorship seat in Nasarawa State on the platform of the PDP and later defected to the CPC and was later made to step down for Alhaji Tanko, said the unprecedented loss by the females during the primaries goes to show the selfish interest of the men. “We women on our side do not have the financial power to confront the men and even if you do, the issue of religion is brought in. They argue that a woman’s place is in the home and not to vie for leadership positions that are meant for men.”
For Bilkisu Magoro, who contested the primaries to the House of Reps in Kebbi State on the platform of the PDP: “It is all about naira and dollars.” In the same vein, Senator Anyawu blamed her loss on alleged rigging. On the outcome of the primaries, she said the first one was cancelled because she was well on the path to victory on the first day. She alleged that she was leading in seven of the nine local governments whose results had been counted when the light at the stadium venue went off. By the next day, the results showed she had lost.
Aver Maagabe, North Central coordinator, Women for Change Initiative, told Weekly Trust that politics is all about money in Nigeria. “Women do not have money to give to delegates. It is not about how good, credible or capable the person is. It is about how well you can settle the delegates. So, you see, in terms of politics, women always suffer setbacks because of their financial constraints”.
Also, Project Coordinator, Forum for Nigerian Women in Politics, Mrs Florence Gbingie Erhabor, says: “It would be unwise for anyone to say that women do not or did not make an impact in the politics of the country. They have been preaching one-man, one-vote but coming to the primaries, it was a different ball game. Then you can imagine what the few women who were strong enough to scale through are going to face at the general elections. Nobody can be trusted anymore. Especially men.”
What the parties were party to
In order to encourage more females to participate in politics, most political parties give special consideration to prospective aspirants into political offices when it comes to the payment of nomination fees to purchase forms. The PDP led the pack when it exempted its womenfolk interested in vying for the presidency from paying N10 million nomination fees. The party, however, said the expression of interest fees at every level is compulsory. By the decision, womenfolk aspiring for the governorship, Senate, House of Rep, State Houses of Assembly, among others are exempted from paying N5million, N2 million, N1 and N600,000 respectively. Other parties followed the ruling party’s example by giving concession to female aspirants.
In the last presidential primaries conducted by the ruling party, the only woman, Mrs Sarah Jibril, paid only one million naira to obtain the Expression of Interest form while the likes of President Goodluck Jonathan, former President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar , Kwara State Governor Bukola Saraki and Sani Dutsinma, paid the sum of eleven million naira (N11m) each to pick forms for the Expression of Interest and Nomination.
Prior to the commencement of the PDP primaries at various levels, office of the party’s National Women Leader organised a workshop for all women aspirants and political office holders in Abuja to strategise for their expected victory. PDP National Women Leader, Hajiya Ina Ciroma, said the workshop was organized to prepare female aspirants for the challenges posed by the 2011 general elections.
At the workshop, the immediate past PDP national chairman, Dr Okwesilize Nwodo, voiced the willingness of the party to reserve 35 per cent of elective offices to women. She canvassed special support and encouragement for women, emphasized that the implementation of the 35 per cent affirmative action plan cannot be achieved if they continue to sit at home without action.
In her remarks at the workshop, the Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Josephine Anenih, who tasked the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) to ensure that not less than 35 per cent female aspirants come out victorious at the just-concluded primary elections, noted that democracy entails creating a level playing-ground for all aspirants, reminding all female aspirants of the need to get ready for financial sacrifice.
Also, the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), constitution and manifestoes promise to promote gender parity and more inclusive democracy. The National Democratic Party (NDP), on the other hand, pledged to take active practical and concrete steps to empower women and facilitate their entrance into various organs of the party, while also promising to encourage women to contest elective party and public political posts among others. All these promises, plans and expectations seem to be a mirage going by the outcome of the primaries.
However most political parties agreed that although efforts were in place to encourage women participation in politics, more needs to be done in that regard.
Leverage
Analysts are of the opinion that the outcome of the primaries show that women are still faced with numerous challenges that have contributed to their marginalization from mainstream politics. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, the Executive Director, Women Advocate Research & Documentation Centre (WARDC), Lagos, said though there is growing awareness and resolve by women to influence the decisions that affect their lives and their families, the political, economic and social environment as well as the structure of the nation still define their political participation and representation. One of the forward looking approaches to future elections, she suggested, is that women in political parties must negotiate gender parity through the party system as a temporary measure, noting that since there is no legal framework backing affirmative action, the National Gender Policy, 2007, remains the only persuasive document that can translate into a good negotiating instrument for concession to women.
Women activists in Nigeria, she advocated, can mobilise around the policy, create awareness particularly, regarding the provisions relating to 35 percent affirmative action and through this, demand electoral accountability from political parties. “Political parties are the ultimate political gatekeepers because they produce party or candidate lists. Although women account for a significant number in party membership in Nigeria, it is commonplace to have parties presenting consensus candidates (most of whom are men, backed by their godfathers). Women activists and politicians should explore opportunities created by some gender friendly provisions in political parties’ manifestoes and constitutions to demand accountability for women,” she further suggested.
Another opportunity existing for women, she believes, is to proactively identify and recruit women members with political potentials for future elections, while canvassing that women members must insist that parties democratise their leadership structures and reform their financing mechanisms to ensure increased participation by them. But still, the women who were declared as coming, remain nowhere.