Centre for Electoral Support tasks women on active participation in election

By Folorunso Alagbede, Abuja

The European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES) has described women as very important pillars of the society,

with an appeal to them to break the jinx of low participation in election.

The ECES said that women,

especially in Nigeria where the female gender constituted about 50 per cent of the voting population, are very crucial in the election process.

The ECES Deputy Project Coordinator,

Manji Wilson, gave the advice at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Townhall Meeting with Women Groups and Gender focused CSOs ahead of the 2022 FCT Area Council Election.

The Centre for Electoral Support urged the women to begin full participation the electoral process with the next month’s

Area Councils’ election the Federal Capital Territory,  Abuja.

 Wilson described women as very important pillars of the society, especially in Nigeria where the female gender constituted about 50 per cent of the voting population.

 Experience, he pointed out, had shown that less number of the voting population, including women participate  in local government elections, in spite the critical roles the third tier of government played in the development of the nation.

Wilson urged participants at the meeting to mobilise other women in the territory to come out in mass to participate and vote in the election.

His words, “I want to challenge you all to change the narrative starting with the FCT area council poll. It is very important.

“There is a lot that your representatives at the FCT council level have to offer.

“You must engage them, starting from the election process, while you translate this engagement towards  holding them accountable for the promises that they  made.

“To ensure that they are able to discharge their mandate in a way that will impact  your daily lives”, he said.

The ECES official encouraged the participants to reach out  to others women in FCT to collect their Permanent Voter Cards and go out to vote on election day .

He expressed the firm belief that the meeting would go a long way in promoting inclusivity, mainstream of gender and promote equity.

ECES, he disclosed, was supporting INEC for successful conduct of FCT area council election because the center knew the critical role area councils played in the development of the nation.

According to him, “The importance of local government elections cannot be over-emphasised, as it is the bed rock of consolidating local democracy.

“Indeed, local councils are an important structure that allows citizens have a first access to elected officials, closer to their homes and realities.