Daniel Agbolade

With 2019 general elections few weeks away, female politicians drawn from the various political parties in South West geo-political zone have resolved to make a significant difference both in quality and quantity in the  elections.

The female politicians at a capacity-building round-table held in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, anchored their determination to evolve more responsible and responsive politics on their resolve to partner the media, more than ever before, in their pre and

post-election awareness strategies.

The political office seekers while narrating their experiences after participating in the two-day intensive workshop organized by International Press Centre (IPC) for Female Politicians on Effective Strategies and Methodologies in Engaging Media for Visibility during Electoral Campaigns, insisted that it is high time womenfolk displayed more self confidence and come out in larger numbers to

compete with their male counterparts, without any inhibitions whatsoever.

The workshop organized with European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria, however identified the factors currently preventing women participation in politics in the country

which include cultural and religious problems, lack of internal democracy within political parties, lack of resources particularly

money and social capital as well as violence and intimidation.

In order to overcome the identified setbacks in the present political dispensation, the female politicians resolved to engage more in

partnership with the media to frameworks for citizen mobilization with regard to the various issues hitherto affecting their fortunes at the

polls.

One of the participants, Mrs. Olubunmi Adelugba, a former Commissioner in Ekiti State who is currently contesting for a seat in the State House of Assembly on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC), while barring her mind, said “the society needs to see more strong, powerful and goal-driven women standing up for their rights.”

For the womenfolk to achieve their goals in national polity, Adelugba, who is a Fellow of Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), said their attitude to the media must change positively just as she enjoined female politicians to see the media as

good partners in progress.

Governorship candidate of Restoration Party of Nigeria in Osun State at the last

election, Mrs. Mercy Ayodele, while speaking in the same vein, emphasized the need for female politicians to exhibit sustained visibility and policy consistency in order to excel in the male-dominated polity.

Another participant, Mrs. Bunmi Fadoju, of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who is the only female candidate currently vying for a seat in Ondo State House of Assembly, charged women politicians in Nigeria to

engage more in community development activities and share the aspirations of the constituents so as to be more relevant among the people in their local communities.