Why, given previous gains, did women’s representation in elective politics in Nigeria dwindle in the 2015 General Elections? What were the fault lines and countervailing factors affecting women’s political exclusion? These are the questions this paper by Maryam Omolara Quadri Ph.D. seeks to answer. The authors’ contention in asking these questions is that it is vital that women learn and understand what went wrong, so that future strategies can be more effective in advancing women’s political representation. The paper offers a multi-layered, structural, institutional, and social explanation for the difficulties facing Nigerian women in politics, and suggests that the more women agitate for inclusion through their various platforms, the less democratic the spaces become.
The paper opens by contextualising the issue within the theoretical discourse of gender and democracy. The emergent message is that it is a necessary component of democracy that, as significant actors in society, women be truly represented. Only then can a democracy advance, and realise the rights of women and other marginalised groups. The paper then discusses women and political participation in Nigeria specifically, and contrasts the history of women’s representation in the country with contemporary research showing the benefits, even necessity, of including female representatives. Finally, the paper takes an in-depth look at the 2015 general election, and what the author calls the “politics of exclusion”. Topics covered include aggressive politicking, electoral violence, and political cronyism.
The author concludes that Nigerian women still have a long way to go in attaining the pinnacle of political decision-making. This is explained by the continued hindrance women face from factors such as the patriarchal, masculine nature of politics, the lack of internal democracy within political parties, the barriers presented by the financial costs of campaigning and the need for rich donors, and societal attitudes toward women. Additionally, the lack of political power is itself a hindrance, with few women having the authority to pursue women’s interests and issues. These factors are ongoing; women cannot rest in their advocacy, and must use all possible means to surmount them.
Aside from these common constraints across elections, women must also come together and learn the lessons from 2015, on the understanding that all elections are in some way unique. Strategies and approaches that were used must be evaluated, and new ones devised in their stead. The time for rhetoric is passed, and women must organise and gear for action to educate and create awareness of the importance of voting more women into political decision-making. This includes the need for strong advocacy of the three key gender policies currently working their way through the legislative process: the Nigerian Gender Policy, the Political Parties Gender Policies, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Gender Policy. If these three policies fail to be implemented by government, the author suggests it would not be out of place for women to boycott further elections.