#ElectionBuzzNig’23
As most Nigerian political parties round off their presidential primary elections, the national president of the Foundation for Protecting Women and Children in Nigeria, Ramatu Tijjani, has called on all presidential aspirants in the country to choose women as running-mates irrespective of their region, ethnicity and religious background.
Ramatu, made called during an interview with journalists in Kaduna. The aim was to draw the attention of all the successful presidential candidates, emphasising the importance of choosing females as running mates.
According to her, this would encourage rural and urban women to come out in mass to vote for any candidate that selects women as running -mates in the forthcoming general election.
Ramatu equally advised all the gubernatorial aspirants that won their primary election, who are yet to pick their running mate, to select women for victory.
She added that women’s political participation results in tangible gains for democracy, including greater responsiveness to citizen needs, increased cooperation across party and ethnic lines, and more sustainable peace and progress.
Meanwhile, she also pointed out clearly that any male candidate that selects women has the chance of winning the election.
While stressing that it would enhance the understanding, contribution, and benefits for rural communities, particularly women, on gender mainstreaming the nation-building process as a method to further promote transformative leadership and citizenship.
Ramatu, who is a specialist in conflict prevention and peace ambassador, said, women demonstrate political leadership by working across party lines through parliamentary women’s caucuses, even in the most politically hostile environments; especially by championing issues of gender equality, such as the elimination of gender-based violence, parental leave and childcare, pensions, gender-equality laws, and electoral reform.
She called on all civil society organisations across 36 states of Nigeria that promote sustainable democratic government to draw the attention of all the presidential candidates.
While appealing to the ministry of women affairs, women’s organisations, non-governmental organisations, NGOs that promote democratic government appeal to all presidential aspirants towards picking women to run.
Similarly, Amina Ibrahim, chairperson of the womanhood foundation of Nigeria, said, It’s high time presidential aspirants search for female candidates as a running mate because the female candidate has many advantages and stands the chance of winning the election successfully.
She added any candidate that chooses women from any region would win the election because women are more cooperative than males.
Suzan O.
