Abia, Imo residents advocate greater women’s participation in politics

The people spoke in interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Umuahia and Owerri, saying that women play crucial roles in politics.

They said that women offer quality representation and better resource management that are critical to national development.

In Umuahia, a former federal lawmaker and community leader, Chief Sam Onuigbo, called for deliberate effort to encourage women participation in politics.

He said he witnessed the success story of the women’s wing of his community development union having worked with them for over 25 years.

Onuigbo, who represented Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency between 2015 and 2023, said he had seen women perform, organise and achieve results.

“I have also seen them demonstrate prudence and judicious application of funds in project execution almost the same way they try to manage their homes,” he said.

Onuigbo, who currently represents the South-East on the Board of the North East Development Commission, regretted that no seats were reserved for women in the country’s legislatures.

According to him, they win election on their own merit to become lawmakers at the national and state assemblies.

“If seats were reserved for women, they should truly compete for it, to bring about positive change,” said Onuigbo, who is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress.

The Abia Coordinator, National Human Rights Commission, Mrs Uche Nwokocha, said the 30 per cent Affirmative Action does not work in Nigeria because no seats were reserved for women in any of the country’s parliaments.

“Internationally, some countries are implementing the policy, but not yet in Nigeria,” she said.

Nwokocha, a legal practitioner, argued that the country’s system of governance does not encourage women’s participation in politics.

She, therefore, called for a joint action between the government, civil society and international organisations in order to  create a more inclusive and representative political landscape.

A school proprietress, Dr Ego Udenze, argued that if women were allowed their rightful position in politics, the issue of corruption would be a thing of the past.

“So, we need women there because they are more disciplined in nature and any office you find them things work well,” she said.

Udenze, who is the Proprietress of Kingsland Comprehensive College, contended that women have the potential to bring about positive change that the country desired, if given the chance.

“At 65, Nigeria’s situation is like a man who is 65 years but still wearing diaper.

“If we continue like this, I don’t know where we are heading for,” said the educationist.

Also, a woman politician, Mrs Ezinne Ochulo, said that it was important to ensure that women felt safe and supported in politics.

Ochulo urged the government to implement policies against harassment, providing accountability mechanisms, and promoting the culture of respect for the weaker sex.

“See what the men are doing to their few women counterparts in NASS, just like we witnessed in Sen. Natasha Akpoti’s saga.

“Nobody spoke up for the woman when she was being persecuted. The men taught it was their right to treat women anyhow,” she said.

A Statistician, Mr Ikenna Ebiri, described women as “pivotal drivers of development” in Abia and Nigeria, emphasising their central role in economic and social progress.

“Women constitute a significant portion of the workforce, with about 77.1per cent actively participating.

“They contribute greatly to agriculture, healthcare, business, and technology, fostering stability and growth,” Ebiri said.

He said that Abia Government’s empowerment initiatives, which includes human capital development and social protection programmes, had strengthened community resilience and improved opportunities for women across the state.

He also said that at the national level, the Nigeria for Women Project, which created affinity groups providing financial services, boosts socioeconomic mobility and supports women inclusion nationwide.

He pointed out that women’s roles extended beyond economic, adding that they facilitate peace and family stability, which promote long-term progress in the society.

Ebiri said that more women should get into politics as Nigeria ranked 143rd globally, with only 3.9 per cent of parliamentary seats occupied by women as recorded in 2024.

He explained that greater women participation in politics would enrich and deepen the practice of democracy in the state and nation at large.

“Women bring empathy and collaboration, addressing education, health, and gender-based violence.

“In Abia, their involvement could accelerate poverty alleviation and disability inclusion,” Ebiri said.

He maintained that more women in leadership would transform governance as they prioritise health, education, and welfare, unlike men, who often misappropriate resources.

“According to Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, female leaders demonstrate integrity, strategic vision, and fairness, and such qualities could close gender gaps and boost GDP through inclusive policies.

“I completely agree with her on this position about having women in leadership positions.

“On affirmative action, I strongly support reserving seats for women.

“Nigeria’s Gender Policy calls for 35 per cent yet women occupy just 4.3 per cent of federal positions,” he said.

He described the practice of reserving seats for women in politics as a necessary step to dismantle barriers to increasing women participation in politics.

“International examples show it strengthens democracy and ensures women’s voices shape national policies,” Ebiri said.

He further said that women bring empathy, resilience, and collaboration and act with integrity and fairness, focusing on justice, health, and education for community growth.

Ebiri said that women’s leadership could enhance social protection, empower marginalised groups, and promote sustainable development through dialogue and inclusivity, making governance more equitable.

A security expert, Mr Ndubuisi Osuagwu, said that women play pivotal role in community and national development, emphasising their importance in politics and decision-making processes.

Osuagwu said that the role could be proven through the activities of the Igbo traditional society, known as the “Umuada”, a powerful decision-making institution.

“Whenever men failed to resolve disputes, the Umuada intervened, and their decisions are binding on all,” he said.

He stressed that peace remained a foundation for development, noting that women traditionally encourage and promote peace in communities, which invariably create fertile ground for growth and stability.

Osuagwu also said that historically, women’s participation in politics has contributed to development, particularly where they were allowed opportunities to serve in leadership positions across communities and nations.

According to him, the 35 per cent affirmative action on reserving political seats for women would strengthen democracy.

He referenced the United Nations’ advocacy for women’s representation as vital for balanced and inclusive governance in Abia and the nation at large.

Osuagwu also pointed to Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan as an example of courage, describing her challenge against autocratic tendencies in parliament as proof of women’s ability to drive accountability and fairness.

He insisted that increasing women in leadership would reduce corruption and ensure resources are channelled into health, education, and social development.

Osuagwu explained that women, because of their nurturing roles, value human life deeply and are inclined to prioritising welfare programmes and projects that directly impact families and communities.

He further said that qualities, such as honesty, fairness, forthrightness, and due diligence distinguished women leaders, making them credible drivers of change and sustainable national development.

In Imo, respondents called for more inclusion of women in politics and political offices as a way to promote gender equity.

A former Deputy Governorship Candidate of Change Advocate Party, Mrs Angela Nkwo-Akpolu, said it is a brilliant idea for women to participate actively in politics.

Nkwo-Akpolu said it would help give women a voice to fully fight for human rights, especially as it concerns women.

She added that it would foster inclusion and the progress the country “so desperately needs”.

“For instance, men do not understand why we advocate free sanitary towels and so may not push it, however, women know that it is a must.

“Reserving seats for women will promote women mentoring, just like men do, and it will help women make demands for what improves lives.

“Many politicians believe in what I call edifice mentality while abandoning schools, the teachers and lecturers but women would never do that,” Nkwo-Akpolu said.

She said that when a woman sets her mind to doing something, she usually does everything possible to ensure it is done, adding that the same energy would be carried into politics.

She added that Nigerian women had played significant roles in various sectors, bringing the country to the limelight in positive ways.

“The Late Mrs Dora Akunyili did great things during her career as the NAFDAC Director-General, the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has also made the country proud in her various capacities.

“This is just to buttress the fact that having less women in politics is a disservice not just to women but to the country as a whole,” she said.

Similarly, a former woman leader, Mrs Elechi Chilekezi, said it was absolutely necessary to involve more women in politics and give them more leadership roles.

She decried the practice of giving women “useless roles” in political parties and political appointments, adding that it was a “ploy to discourage women from participating” in politics.

Chilekezi added that having more women in political positions would help to remove the stigma attached to women in politics, often perceived to be competition with men.

A civil servant, Mr Charles Iwuozor, said women are known to be “builders of society and devoted activists.”

Iwuozor said the difference in female activism is glaring as it helps to achieve laudable results, citing the late Margaret Ekpo’s role in the fight for Nigeria’s independence.

“Margaret Ekpo is the epitome of a woman leader. These days, women leaders are just used to mobilising women to vote for incompetent men.

“She, on the other hand, gathered women for purpose and achieved great things.

“You cannot talk about Nigeria’s history without remembering the Aba women’s riot and who led it,” Iwuozor said.

He called for more women to be given a chance and encouraged to aspire to political offices.

The Founder of Virgin Heart Foundation, Ms Peace Dike, a girl child’s right advocate, said reserving seats for women is an intentional way of including women.

Dike said it had become a norm in Nigeria to make promises and make laws without implementation, citing the 35 per cent affirmative action for women which was yet to be implemented many years after initiation.

She said: “In Imo, we have 27 state constituencies and no woman is representing any of them at the House of Assembly currently.

“It is something to be ashamed about.

“The idea that there are no competent women who can represent their local government areas at the legislature is ridiculous.

“In the Imo Assembly, no woman is there to even lend a voice when issues concerning women are raised.

“There are more female registered voters than male voters yet those women who have more voting power are not given the opportunity to represent their people; when the odds are against women we find it difficult to vote for them.

“We battle corruption, but men who siphoned public funds redirect it to vote buying.

“All kinds of positions are reserved for men in parties and even in the local government elections.”

Dike suggested a system where women represented themselves and draw attention to issues pertaining to women and providing solutions to them.

“Let us test run the reserved seats and make a change.

“Let women contribute their quota to the nation because they deserve a chance to bring in their innovation.

“For years, we have had the same results with the men in charge.

“When we include women we include our children and they are motivated to aspire to leadership roles,” she added. (NAN)