Make Law To Reserve Deputy Governor’s Slot for Women, BBYDI Tasks FG

… Unveils Voter’s Education Manual, Research on Voter’s Apathy

The Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative (BBYDI) has called the Nigerian government to sign into law for the position of the
state deputy governor to be automatically reserved for women.

This formed parts of BBYDI’s recommendations while unveiling research report on Women Participation in Kwara State Politics at Dhub Innovation Centre, Ilorin on Saturday.

The Executive Director of the organization, Abideen Olasupo said the study review examined gender
issues in political appointments and assess women’s participation
in political positions in politics over the years.

Olasupo said the study was conducted in Kwara State, focusing on both state and federal political and appointed offices with data gathered from focus group discussions, personal interviews, key informant interviews, and personal observations.

According to him, Participants in the focus-group discussions and interviews comprised political appointed and elected officers, women’s representatives from different groups such as market women, aspiring political office holders, women-focused non-governmental organizations, and women professional groups.

The report read in part: ” The research shown that the percentages of women elected and appointed to political offices both state and federal. Between 1999-and 2003 there was no female in the senate chamber and only one female out of the six elected federal house of
representative members. The men took 90% out of the state appointment offices, leaving 10% for the women. From 2003 to 2011, three women were elected to the state house of assembly out of the 24 seats.

“Only 1 female emerged as a senator out of the 3 seats, while two emerged for the federal house of representatives out of the 6 seats. The men took 85% out of the state appointment offices, leaving 15% for the women. Between 2019 till date, the entire 24 seats at the state house of assembly were men. There was no female representative in the federal house of assembly and senate. The present administration only gave a high percentage to the women in appointive
positions compared to the previous administrations.”

They therefore recommended ol35% affirmative action for a more inclusive representation of women both in elective and appointive positions by National Gender Policy (NGP)
should be signed into law and protection of women from abuse, empower them
economically and politically.

BBYDI also urged Political parties to encourage and give room for active participation of women by approving 35% slot, and subsidized nomination form for female aspirants in all political parties.

Similarly, the group called for enhanced security at polling units to reduce Voter’s Apathy during elections in the Nigeria.

YVote Naija in a research conducted for 36,855 Electorates discovered that “8.8% respondents said they aren’t sure if they will register to vote by 2023 if INEC commences the CVR by June 2021 while 8.1% said they won’t be registering for CVR. Though the percentage of respondents who fall within these two categories manifest

“The justification of voters’ apathy in Nigeria which is the focus of this study. The summary of some of the reasons for voters’ apathy:Ÿ 18.3% respondents are with the opinion that vote buying is why election have not been transparent , 45.2% Nigerians believe that their vote won’t count therefore, they see no reason to register, and 64.1% believes that there are factors that slows the rate of understanding the voting system in Nigeria

“Ÿ 80.3% of respondents hold the opinion that elections have never been
transparent, 11.1% believe that it has been transparent, and 8.8% are not
sure if it has been transparent or not.
Ÿ 63.9% voters do not feel safe when they go out to vote, 16.3% voters does
not feel safe, and 19.8% voters aren’t sure if they are safe or not
Reasons For Voters’ Apathy”

Recommendations of the group include s; Voters’ mobilization and voting education are vital to reducing voters’ apathy in Nigeria. With this, it requires the cooperation and collaboration of every concerned stakeholder (INEC, political parties, citizens) to make sure that our elections are credible, transparent, free and fair, and inclusive. These are some of the reasons cited as the cause of voters’ apathy by the
respondent. Furthermore, it is important that we harness the maximum use of our media in educating the citizens.

The group also launched 32 page Voter’s Education Manual ahead 2023 general elections.

Olasupo in the documents launched was part of organization’s drive to deepen Democratic process in Nigeria

He appreciated the Global Youth Mobilisation for supporting the initiative.