Florence Aya, Women Mentoring and Leadership Initiative’s president, says 18 women are aspiring for seats in the Senate, House of Representatives and House of Assembly in the 2023 general elections.

“So far, 18 women who had declared interest to contest various seats in the 2023 elections were at the meeting – one for Senate, three for House of Representatives and the 14 for state assembly,” she said. “This is a very bold step, and we are working with them, mentoring them and helping them to achieve their dreams.”

Ms Aya, who disclosed this on Wednesday, said the women would contest under different political parties.

She explained that a woman would seek a senatorial seat, three others for the House of Representatives, and the remaining 14 would compete for the Kaduna House of Assembly seats.

Ms Aya, a minority leader in the Kaduna assembly from 1992 to 1993, also represented Kaura Federal Constituency at the National Assembly from 1999 to 2003.

“In February, we launched Project 2023 Agenda for Women Participation to mobilise more women to contest and participate effectively in the electoral process. Yesterday we had our first meeting for all the women who are aspiring for the state assembly, house of reps and Senate,” she explained.

Noting that the women aspire for elective positions in a men-dominated political party, the grassroots politician hoped that the female politicians would put up a good fight.

She added that the organisation was working closely with Partnership to Engage, Reform and Learn, a governance programme of the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Others are Gender Action Team and Legal Awareness for Nigerian Women.

“It is very important that women should show support for one another before others will support us. It is an issue we are trying to address, and I want to assure you that in the next election (2023), there will be more women who will win elections by the grace of the almighty Allah,” she said.

There were only three women representatives in the Senate, representing 2.8 per cent of the 109 Senators between 1999 and 2003. The number increased to nine, representing 8.3 per cent between 2007 and 2011, before dropping to eight members representing 7.3 per cent between 2019 to date.

In the House of Representatives, 13 women were elected in the 1999 election, representing 3.3 per cent of the 360 members. The number increased to 26, representing 7.2 per cent between 2011 and 2015.

The women’s seats in the House of Representatives dropped from 26 to 13 in 2019, representing 3.6 per cent. 

At the state assemblies, 24 women were elected in 1999, representing 2.4 per cent of the 990 members across the 36 states assemblies. The number increased to 68, representing 6.9 per cent in 2003, before dropping to 45 in 2019, with 15 state assemblies with no female members. 

(NAN)