2019 Polls: Institute Moves To SensitiseWomen

The National Democratic
Institute (NDI), funded by the Department for International Development (DFID), has , launched women in politics programme in Enugu to sensitize women on 2019 election.
The Country Director of NDI, Jasper Veen, said in Enugu that the programme was designed to support and strengthen womens’ participation in Nigeria’s politics as their participation had declined.
The director, represented by the NDI Programme Director, Mr Raymond Esebagbon, said only 30 out of the 400 elected legislators were into the parliament in the 2015 general election women, adding that the figure was not encouraging.
Veen regretted that it was worse in the North East where no woman was elected as House of the Representatives member in the zone.
He stated that the programme had two approaches that would equip women with the required skills, strategy and support to navigate formal and informal procedures as well as increase the opportunities of women to run in an election.
The director admonished political parties and traditional rulers to break the negative cultural and religious barriers that have hindered women from seeking elective positions in the country.
He noted that similar programme would be launched in four other states of Anambra, Kaduna, Lagos and Adamawa.
The Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Mrs Cecilia Ezeilo, said only eight out of the 109 senators were women, 20 out of 360 House of Representative members were women, while only 39 out of 990 women were elected in the 36 states Houses of Assembly.
“Enugu State has improved as l was elected as the deputy governor of the state and the state is committed to gender equality.
“The challenges facing women in active politics ranged from financial problem, discrimination, god-fatherism, political violence and name calling,” she said.
She commended the NDI for launching the programme in Enugu, saying that the state government would partner with the Institute to provide conducive environment for women to engage in politics.
The Chairman, Enugu State House of Assembly Committee on Gender Affairs, Mrs Lydia Omeje-Ogbu, urged women to work hard to participate in politics.
She advised them to be prayerful if they should succeed in politics and build a close contact with the people at the grassroots before seeking for an election.
In his reaction, the Chairman of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Mr Ken Ike, said that the party would support and encourage any woman interested in any position under the party.
The programme was organised in collaboration with the Women’s Aid Collective (WACOL), Enugu, a Non-Governmental Organisation on women affairs.
Participants at the event came from Jigawa, Anambra, Adamawa, Kaduna and Lagos States.