By; ALEX UANGBAOJE, Kaduna
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Kaduna State, Dr. (Mrs) Asmau Sani Maikudi, has said that any nation that neglects its women is doomed.
The Kaduna REC, who made this point in her remarks at a one-day sensitization and enlightenment meeting with women contestants and other stakeholders in Kaduna State, noted that despite many national and international conventions, resolutions and agreements of which Nigeria is a signatory, Nigerian women have still remained backwards and neglected.
According to her, “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.
“Women need men to support them to achieve their full potential and bring in their expertise to move the country forward.
“We are not given our right position in organizations both politically and socially. I must however acknowledge some countries that have found women worthy of leadership and commend such women for proving their worth, Rwanda readily comes to mind here. It is a strong example of how women can be utilized and harnessed.”
Dr. Maikudi, said women constitute slightly more than half of the world population and that their contribution to the socio-economic development of societies is also more than half as compared to that of men by virtue of triple roles in the productive, reproductive and community management spheres.
She expressed disappointment that despite the global rating for women contributions, there 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 National Assembly decision of rejecting Affirmative Action in the Constitutional Amendment of the Electoral Act, 2022; among the five gender bills rejected by the parliament were the affirmative action bill to ensure 35 per cent positions for women, the bill on ministerial or commissioner nomination, the reserved seat bill to create additional seats for women at the Senate, House of Representatives and the States Houses of Assembly is most unfortunate.
“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.”
She however commanded the Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El -Rufai for being a “He-for-She and a role model. He has transformed Kaduna State as a shining example of how to engage women in governance and development.
“It is the only state in the nation that is boasting of going beyond the United Nations Affirmative Action of 35% but now has 47% of women in appointive positions in the state.
“Women of Kaduna have made invaluable contributions and unrelenting efforts to drive development and growth in the state, the state’s deputy governor who is a woman, Dr Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe has proved her mettle and is going down into history as the only woman to be elected Deputy Governor for a 1 term and contesting into the same position, for the 2023 GES.
“It is on this note that I wish to inform you that as at 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 2023GEs. We have the numbers.”
The REC, called on Nigerian policy makers to note that the continued marginalization of women in Nigeria is a huge detriment to its efforts to grow as a stable, democratic nation and any democratization process that fails to incorporate a gender perspective is a flaw. Any sensitive democratization must create and ensure equity to women in politics as well as in all factors of development in the nation.
