Earlier this year, a report by the Gender Strategy Advancement International (GSAI) noted that the participation of Nigerian women in politics falls below global standards. The national average is 6.7% which is low compared to the 23.4% African average and 22.5% global average.
With just about four months left till the general elections in 2023, we look at some of the numbers that define the role that women can play in the elections and what they mean for their representation in Nigerian politics.
1 — the number of women running for president in 2023
She may not be as popular as her male counterparts, but Princess Chichi Ojei of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) also wants to take over from Buhari next year. She’s the only woman out of the 18 candidates on the ballot for the 2023 presidential election. Twale for you jare.
25 — women running for governorship positions
The 25 female candidates contesting in governorship elections across Nigeria fall just short of 6% of the total number of 419 candidates on the ballots. It’s even worse when you consider that a court recently disqualified the only female candidate running with a major party. We see you looking at that 419 with suspicion and we are too.
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92 — women running for Senate seats
That’s 92 women out of 1,101 candidates in total — representing a paltry 8%. We still have a long way to go to have gender inclusive politics at the national level.
286 — women running for seats in the House of Representatives
Only 286 out of a total of 3,107 candidates running for seats in the House of Representatives are women. This is the kind of gender imbalance that allows the male-dominated House reject bills to give Nigerian women more rights.
1,046 — the total number of women contesting for political offices in 2023
Out of the total number of 10,225 candidates running for political offices in 2023, only 1,046 are female — just over 10%. Real ojoro, for a country where more than 100 million people are female. So uncool.
6,224,866 — the number of newly registered female voters
Of the 12.2 million newly-registered voters ahead of the 2023 elections, 6,224,866 are women. They won this category hands down and are ready to demand more at the polls.
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