The European Centre For Electoral Support (ECES) has predicted that more Nigerian women would be brought to the centre of power in 2019.
The ECES President, Ms Monica Frassoni, made the prediction while interacting with women aspirants and candidates of different political parties in the 2019 general elections on Saturday in Abuja.
She expressed joy about the great energy that Nigerian women were displaying and their willingness to work together irrespective of party differences, ahead of the elections.
“I believe the 2019 general elections can be a moment for Nigeria, where more women are brought to the centre of power.
“In many occasions l could see in my travel around the world, where society has strong participation of women, not only in institutions but also interested society with recognised leading roles, the society is better.”
Frassoni, however, said that at this moment, there was need to strengthen more women participation in politics.
She also stressed the need for men to support women who were change makers, saying “we have to support women in politics and positions of power’’.
Frassoni, a former member of EU Parliament, also stressed the need to mobilise women to come out in their numbers for the 2019 general elections.
“I understand Nigeria a country with more women than men, therefore those women have to be mobilised to go and vote,” Frassoni said.
Mrs Moji Makanjuola, one of the facilitators of the interactive session, said that they were motivated to organise the meeting due to gaps and challenges confronting the women aspirants and candidates.
These, according to Makanjuola, include gaps in articulating their ideas, public speaking and other challenges.
“We thought if we come to a table and speak to some of these gabs and challenges we will probably be able to network among women in politics who are successful in politics.
“For those who are still aspiring what lessons they can learn from these other ones so that together there can be synergy for women in politics holding each other hands, networking and helping each other,’’ Makanjuola said.
On money politics, she said that women may not have the money to spend like their male counterparts, but they were agents of change ready to turn things around.
“The women are saying no to money politics, yes to politics of change, ideology and sacrifice. Women should be judge on their capacities to deliver and not on capacity to buy votes.”
Ms Harirat Yakubu, member of Nigeria Youths Parliament and House of Assembly aspirant, Olamboro state Constituency, Kogi, identified patriarchy, poverty, god-fatherism and inadequate funds for election activities as some of the challenges facing women in Nigerian politics.
“Patriarchy is system of society or government in which men dominate or hold the political system while women are largely excluded from it,” she said.
Yakubu, contesting under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), called for legislation that would compel the political parties to make women running mates for elective and political offices.
A presidential candidate of the National Interest Party, Madam Eunice Atuejide, expressed optimism that more women would secure elective positions in 2019.
“There are a lot of strategies we are putting in place now, especially because we are working together trying to help one another however small the resources may be,” she said. (NAN)