The Deputy Governor of Rivers State Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo, has emphasized the need for more women to be recognized and given opportunity to vie into political offices, in order to fulfill God given potentials in them.
Dr. Ibanigo who stated this during a one-day workshop on increasing female participation in politics, organized by FIDA Rivers State, said women over the years have contributed to development, but have been subjugated, put aside due to religious or traditional prejudice.
The Deputy Governor, however, urged women to start creating awareness amongst themselves and young ones on the need to get their PVCs and vote in credible leaders most especially women into political positions.
“Thank God for Governor Nyesom Wike, a Governor who has foresight to see what it is that God has deposited in female gender that made them to be pushed aside. We need to celebrate women of excellence who have shown leadership qualities
“When we are talking about giving women opportunities, they must distinguish themselves for them to be able to have the capacity to carry those opportunities. It is a question of showing capacity to their roles in leadership qualities.
“As women, we have opportunities which we can use to create awareness amongst ourselves, the youth and men. Let us not blame ourselves again for bad leadership in the nation, we have the opportunity now in the coming election.
“While they are doing voters registering, go and get your permanent voter’s card. The voter’s card is for life, this is the time to utilize our franchise, let’s vote out strange government.”
Also in his keynote speech, Resident Electoral Commissioner INEC, Obo Effanga, said if more women are to participate in politics, patriarch system of politics should be stopped and women need to be included on the table as key decision makers.
He further said that women need to increase their political participation strength, noting that as last Monday 21 March, 2022, the total continuous voter’s registration garnered across the nation, women are two million one hundred and ninty-five thousand, one hundred and and fifty-six, while men are two million, two hundred and five thousand and seventy-three.
“INEC is at the front burner to ensure both men and women get what is rightly due to them, if we are going to improve governance, it should be improved over board. We should not allow those against affirmative action blackmail us into disqualifying women for mere reason that is applicable to both men and women in terms of qualification, failure is not gender sensitive.
“There is no peculiar disadvantage for women, so there is nothing stopping women to participate in politics. Women therefore need to increase their participation. How many women have taken up leadership positions such as Chairman of a political party, most times what they get is either women Leader, treasurer, welfare positions which exclude them from critical decision taking in a Party.
“The men invariably dominate the political parties, political parties require money and how many women can throw money around or gamble with? Women think more of family, fewer women are seen in political settings, so the society has tailored women into being in a family.
“Women are mostly not on the table when key decision are taken in political parties, there are lots of advantages in putting women in the decision table.”
Effanga, however, called on the state and federal government, organizations and agencies to make provisions for creche in all public offices to ensure a balance in governance and services delivery, to enable women participate fully in key decision making.
On her part, Chairperson FIDA Rivers, Adata Bio-Briggs, urged women to proactively engage and present themselves to contest for political offices at any level of public governance.
“To commemorate the 2022 International Women’s Day theme “Gender Equality today, for a Sustainable tomorrow” and in view of the 2023 general election, FIDA Rivers State Branch deemed it fit and timely to organize this workshop for women on increased participation of women in politics.
“To implement the 35 affirmative action, the major political party in Rivers State zoned the deputy local government chairman position to women hence all the 23 local government in Rivers State have women as deputy chairmen. However, women are severely underrepresented in the Rivers state House of Assembly, Senate, the house of representatives as well as in the executive committees of the political parties and we are yet to see a woman emerge as the Chairperson of any political party.”
