Gender, Political Participation and Representation: The Nigeria Story

Abstract

Aims: This article aims to examines women's political participation and representation in Nigeria. The study employed the 2019s Nigeria general election data with an emphasis on the number of men and women candidates for various seats and posts. Study Design: The study implemented quantitative and qualitative research approach. Place and Duration of Study: The study was held in Nigeria between February and March 2019 within the duration of the General Elections (GE). Methodology: Data dwelled more on the secondary data from the Nigeria Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) such as Final List of Senatorial Candidates, Final List of Governorship Candidates, Final List of Presidential Candidates, Final List of State House of Assembly Candidates, and Final List of Candidates for House of Representatives followed by interviews. Results: The findings indicate that even though women in Nigeria are politically active, they are not considered equal to their men counterparts - a product of patriarchal inclination. Certainly, Nigerian society still subscribes to the senseless connotation of: ‘women’, what do they know? A common phrase employed even in an ordinary family conversation. Besides, women participants lack financial backup and social support for political positions. Conclusion: Women’s low proportion of political representation at the highest levels of politics is a persistent issue in gender stratification in Africa, but paramount in Nigeria. Despite advances in women’s educational level and economic participation, the findings in this study have shown that women in Nigeria have little or no significant progress with respect to political representation in the country’s political sphere.