Although women comprise 50.1% (NPC, 2006) of the Nigerian population, their citizenship status as well as their ability to participate actively and effectively in public policy, and to be visibly represented in decision-making at all levels are all greatly curtailed by socio-economic, cultural and psychological factors (Mark-Odu, 2000:4).
This not only affects the level and quality of female citizenship, it also raises questions as to the legitimacy of Nigerian democracy in practice. Nigerian women have risen to the challenge in all spheres of professional life. However, there remains an urgent need for professional women in the political space.
Speaking to professional women during a one-day training programme titled: “National Sensitisation Workshop For Professional Women On Participation In The 2019 General Elections,” organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for professional women across the country, recently in Abuja, the facilitator, Directing Staff, NIPSS, Kuru, Prof Funmi Para-Mallam charged professional women to leave the spectator mode, but ensure full and effective leadership in politics and decision-making at all levels.
Para-Mallam defined a professional woman as a member of a profession who earns a living from a specified professional activity guided by standard rules/ethics for conduct or a paid occupation, especially one that involves prolonged training and a formal qualification.”
She noted that sustainable development goal 5, targets 5.5 percent focus on Gender Equality and Women Empowerment, adding that women must convert all their professional capabilities to political capital.
Implications of female absence in politics is as a result of four Bills that was rejected since 2002-2016 which includes the Anti-violence 2002, Reproductive health 2005, CEDAW 2006/2007 and Gender and Equal Opportunities 2016.
According to her, “The National Gender Policy stipulates a temporary measure that government shall ensure at least 35 per cent female representation in all appointive and elective posts in order to correct existing gender-based imbalances in political representation.
“The INEC’s gender policy and the electoral system in line with international and national regulatory frameworks seeks to mainstream gender, eliminate gender discrimination and promote gender equality towards a just and democratic society, but the INEC gender policy of the year 2015, lacks teeth as parties are not specifically held accountable and electoral reform is absent,” the Professor added.
She emphasized that they must push through to ensure that they amend electoral law to comply with NGP in specifics, Empower INEC to reject non gender-inclusive party lists and practices, as well as engender internal party democracy, Abolish women’s wings over time to have a Proportional representation.
Para-Mallam explained further that this can only be achieved if women build bridges across party, ethnic and religious lines to promote shared agendas as well as Grassroots mobilization and constituency building practice to promote gender solidarity that genuinely supports female candidates.
She urge women professional bodies such, International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Situation Room across the country, among others to adopt strategies for broadening political space for women Electoral System, noting that no one would make the change for them.
Also speaking, while intimating the professional women on the key objectives of the training,  the Deputy Director, Gender, INEC, Abuja, Mrs Blessing Obidegwu stated that analysis of previous elections shows that not many women from the professional class take part in the electoral process as voters, candidates, observers or election administrators, hence this became a concern and the need for the training.
The Deputy Director’s speech was presented by the Deputy Director, Voter Education, Publicity, Gender and Civil Society Organizations Liaison Department, INEC, Abuja, Mr Jamilu Sabiu stressed that democratic elections ought to reflect participation from all segments of the society including professional women.
According to her, “Women elites deserves the opportunity to bring their capacity and capability to bear and make their impact felt by getting actively involved in various electoral roles of their choice as a way of deepening our democracy and making it more inclusive.
“The recent INEC’s presentation of voters registered to the 91 political parties showed that in spite of all the encouragement, women’s registration as voters is 47 per cent as against 52.8 per cent of their male counterparts. This clearly shows that women did not make enough efforts to come out and register,” Obidegwu added.
She noted that although the actual reasons for political apathy among professional women in Nigeria, was yet to be known, but INEC believes that a forum of this nature would afford them the opportunity to discuss their concerns with a view to having them come on board as preparation for the 2019 General Elections draws nearer.
She added that the training was done so as to engage other women in voter education, address voter apathy, engage actively in the candidate nomination process to ensure that only the best candidates emerge, advance the electoral discourse within their sphere of influence, participate in governance, advocate for women in appointive posts, as well as advocate for good governance by holding political institutions accountable to their campaign promises and manifesto when the clinch to power.
Obidegwu explained that professional women world over are recognized and respected for their outstanding accomplishments in their various fields of endeavours, adding that the society adores women for daring to succeed in highly demanding careers which is perceived to be exclusively for the men.
She stressed further that professional women hold the promise for changing the narrative on gender inequality when they deploy their intellectual skills as their disposal to bear in politics and electoral activism, noting that the gap for now is their current lack for interesting politics which this sensitization forum intends to interrogate, noting that INEC as an Umpire has always ensured that Nigeria’s political landscape continue to be level and women-friendly.
She added that professional women in Nigeria are assured of a supportive environment to participate in the electoral process in any capacity, degree or role as they may choose stressing that since the last elections in 2015, INEC has improved its processes and procedures to ensure that gender is adequately mainstreamed in the electoral process.
Inclusion therefore, according to Para-Mallam, “Women who are already in political office have an onerous responsibility to serve as exemplary models for other women and men to respect and emulate – women have to work twice as hard to overcome stereotypes and win over hearts and minds – this is the simple but blunt reality.
“Women have unique abilities, styles and gifts that they can bring to the political space and should not seek to be men or beat men at their own game
“Most of all women must learn not to be short sighted by acting the PhD script (pull her down syndrome). Rather, women must develop the culture of supporting and promoting each other.
Obidegwu stated: “It is hoped that a compendium of roles and strategies that professional women could deploy to advance women’s political visibility in the 2019 General Elections and beyond would be developed from participants at the training.”

Susan Serekara-Nwikhana