The Prospect of a Female President in Nigeria

Khadijah Okunu-Lamidi a female presidenttial 

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THE PROSPECT OF A FEMALE PRESIDENT IN NIGRERIA.

According to Mary Wollstonecraft a nation is defined as a union of men and women. The upsurge of the political equality of all sexes can be traced back to the French Revolution of 1789 when the Declaration of Right of Man and Citizen was declared on August 26, 1789. But unfortunately, women were disenfranchised and excluded from holding any political office. It took the effort of Olympe de Gourge and Mary Wollstonecraft to stand up and fight a good fight of faith for the right of women. Here in Nigeria, the giant of Africa, 2022 marks the 23rd year of democracy yet the story of political marginalization of women is prevalent. There is chronic political inequality at the poll. The men have upper hand than their female counterpart in politics. The Inter- Parliamentary Union (IPU) as cited in Daily Trust ranks Nigeria at 184 out of 187 countries in the global monthly ranking of women in national parliament. This ranking is true as it is being corroborated by the number of female senators and honourables we have presently in Nigeria. The total sum of the Nigerian National Assembly is 469 out of which 21 are women legislature members; eight female senators from the Red Chamber and thirteen female honourables from the Green Chamber. Also, this is applicable in the in the House of Assemblies across Nigeria. Cross Rivers has five female honourables out of 25; Enugu, Ekiti and Ogun have four; Ebonyi, Lagos and Bayelsa have three; Akwa Ibom, Benue, and Delta have three while in the northwest it is only Kaduna state that has one female honourable.

This is the 23rd year of practising democracy in Nigeria yet the prospect of a democratically elected female governor is slim not to talk of a female president. It seems practical but unattainable due to some intricate factors. Since the start of democracy in Nigeria, women have always taken the lead in any political activity such as rallies, campaigns, political meetings and voting. 

According to Zubaida Baba Ibrahim, in the 2019 general election, there was eighty-four million accredited voters of which forty million of them were females amounting to about half of the accredited voters 47.4%.  This shows the great number of women activeness in politics. The question now is why is the political marginalization of Nigerian women rising day by day?  According to UN Women, as cited in the Daily Trust, “women face several obstacles to participating in political life. Structural barriers through discriminatory laws and institutions still limit women’s options to run for office.”  This is right and applicable to the Nigerian women problem in politics. Although section 42 of The 1999 Constitution of Federal Republic of  Nigeria frowns at discrimination but politically in reality, the reverse is the case. Of recent, there was a protest by women for the passing to law the Affirmative Action Bill by the National Assembly. The ideology of the Affirmation Action Bill is that women should have 35% slot for any political office in Nigeria. Whereas this is not the case with other African countries as they have implemented such law ago the likes of Rwanda, Namibia and South Africa had given 30% slot to their women. In Nigeria, we are still protesting and praying the legislature to pass it into law. Section 6 (5) of the PDP Constitution states that the party shall support the emancipation and participation of women by encouraging their representation at all levels while section 6 (7) is emphatic that: “In nomination for Party offices, not less than 35% shall be reserved for women.” This however, has not been the case (Daily Trust).

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 More so, the cultural and religious factor is mountainous and demanding in limiting the political right of women in Nigeria.  In a remote Nigeria cultural and religious setting, women are excluded from decision making or suggesting decision. They are relegated to household chores and the kitchen. The political arena is only meant for the men. This is not supposed to be so. The world is changing. Our culture and religious perspective must be dynamic and accommodating to changes in the world. As Chimam Ngozi Adichie rightly said that we are in the century where what matter are the intellect, knowledge and capability of an individual and not physical strength. Had it been the world was not dynamic and receptive to changes, Amina Mohammed and Okonjo Iweala would not have been in the position they were today.  

Also, one of the important reasons for the prevalence of gender disparity in Nigeria politics is the non-charlant and lackadaisical attitude of some women in politics. They have accepted their fate that certain political offices like the president is not meant for them while the qualified ones among them see politics as a dirt game. This shouldn’t be so. Women should organise public enlightenment program that will educate and sensitise themselves about their political right. And more so, women should come out in their numbers to contest for any political office in Nigeria and they should sponsor one another for the actualization of their goal. 

The issue of female presidency is not an unprecedented event in the political history of man. It has happened in several parts of the world and it will still happen. According to Wikipedia, Vigidis Finnbogadottir of Iceland was the first woman elected president of a country who won presidential election as well as three later elections to become the longest-serving non-hereditary female head of state in history. She served for 16 years. Sirimavo Bandaronaike of Ceylon (present day Sri Lanka) was the first woman to be democratically elected as Prime Minster of a country when she led her party to victory at the general election of 1960. Coming down to Africa our motherland, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was the first female president in Africa 2006-2018. Mariada Neves was elected the Prime Minister of Sao Tome and Principe 2002-2004. Of recent, Najla Bouden became the first female Prime Minister both in Tunisia and Arab world. Sahle-Work Zewde is the current first female president of Ethiopia from 2018 till date. Also, Mrs. Samia Suluhu Hassan was elected as the first female president of Tanzania in 2019 till date. These women are not mediocre. They are making ground breaking achievements. If this happens in Nigeria, heaven will not fall. It is also attainable in Nigeria if certain things are put in place. 

Ellen Sirleaf Johnson first female President in Africa,(Liberia, 2006-2018). 
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For the attainment and actualization of a female president and political equality of all sexes in Nigeria, the National Assembly should first and foremost pass the Affirmative Action Bill that allows 35% of slot for female in all elected offices into law.  Rwanda presently has the world’s strongest female participation in parliament out of 193 countries, boasting a 61.3 percent of seats in the country’s lower parliamentary chamber. This achievement is largely due to the country’s 2003 constitution which set a 30 percent quota for women in elected positions. From the countries constitutions, political parties had equally adopted a quota system for female candidates. Namibia seats comfortably on the 6th position while South Africa has earned the 10th position (Daily Trust). Nigeria should emulate these countries. Secondly, the Independent Electoral Commission should be empowered to ban any political party that does not adhere to the Affirmative Action Bill if passes to law. In addition, there should be continuous protest for the political equality of all sexes. The women should not be tired of this. Public enlightenment and orientation should be organised in all parts of Nigeria for the political equality of all genders.  Also, there should be reduction of price of nomination form for women. More women should contest for any political office in Nigeria even the presidential seat is not exempted.      

Conclusively, the politics of today does not value physical strength. What matter are the intellect, knowledge and capacity of an individual. Female presidency in Nigeria may seem impossible but there is much hope for its actualization in Nigeria.  

 

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