From Sola Ojo, Kaduna
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Dr Asmau Sani Maikudi, said on Thursday that, as of August 1, women constituted over 50 per cent of voters who have registered during the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise across the country.
The REC who spoke during a one-day sensitisation and enlightenment meeting with women contestants and other stakeholders in Kaduna sought massive support for the 35 women vying for elective positions at state and federal levels ahead of the 2023 general elections.
She then asked women to support one another as the surest way to success in the 2023 general elections, leveraging on the number of eligible voters to far register to participate in the elections and quickly added that the newly registered intending voters would get their permanent voter’s cards by October.
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According to her, “as we all know, women constitute slightly more than half of the world population. Their contribution to the socio-economic development of societies is also more than half as compared to that of men by our triple roles in the productive, reproductive and community management spheres.
“Yet our participation in formal political structures and processes, where decisions regarding the use of societal resources generated by both men and women are made remains insignificant as we have just seen in the NAS decision of rejecting affirmative action in the constitutional amendment of the Electoral Act, 2022.
“Happily, however, the rejection has only further energised women in Kaduna State to push for elective and representative positions. Today we have 35 women politicians that have emerged victorious in their party primaries.
“There’s no gain saying that women in positions of leadership have shown competence and diligence in their service. Any nation that does not recognise its women and their capacity is doomed to failure.
“It is on this note that I wish to inform you that as of 1st August 2022, women constituted over 50% of the electorates that registered for the CVR nationwide, and therefore urge you to support each other as the surest way to success in 2023 GEs. We have the numbers”, she said.
She however requested Nigerian policymakers to note that “the continued marginalisation of women in Nigeria is a huge detriment to its efforts to grow as a stable, democratic nation.”