No fewer than 40 female candidates across the political parties converged on Ilorin, Kwara State, yesterday, to strategise for victory in the 2023 general elections.

During the two-day programme for candidates from Kwara and Kogi states, organised by the Women Radio and Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), they expressed readiness to take up political offices next year.

The event was organised in collaboration with United Nations (UN) Women and the Government of Canada.

In her remarks at the event, the Action Alliance (AA), deputy governorship candidate in Kwara, Mrs. Victoria Bamidipo, expressed delight with the programme, adding:

“This workshop is so interesting because it enlightens women, especially the candidates, to know most of the things we didn’t understand before. I now understand that gender is not all about male or female.

“We also learnt that we should work with our agents, which we often take for granted. We are also given training on, before, during and post-election strategies, as well as knowing the constitutional guidelines relating to our political careers.”

For the NNPP House of Assembly candidate for Ogori-Mangogo Constituency of Kogi, Agela Amao, more women participation in politics remained the only catalyst for their victory in elections.

She said: “Women can do it better because we feel the pains more than men. We know what is happening in Nigeria. We know the weak points and how best to approach issues better.”

In her presentation, Mrs. Emmanuella Azu of Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre revealed that the Ilorin workshop was the fifth out of the seven states pencilled for the exercise.

Azu said: “We had earlier conducted the training in Ekiti, Ebonyi, Calabar and Borno.”

Kwara is the fifth state. However, we have a partnering state, Kogi, in this one.

“The whole essence of this is to have female representation at the end of 2023 general election. We look forward to seeing more women at the parliament and at various elective positions, not just appointments.”

Responding to how women could make a difference, Azu noted: “Having more women in the parliament means we would have more gender-sensitive laws, and sustainable development for the country. Any system that is skewed towards any gender is actually problematic.”

The Director of WARDC, Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, said: “The programme becomes necessary, looking at the number of women currently in political positions in Nigeria. We intend to build and strengthen their capacity to ensure a network between them, so we can have more women in leadership positions.”

In his lecture, development expert and facilitator at the event, Mr. Jide Ojo, stressed that some sections of the new Electoral Act would benefit women the most when put into application.

Speaking on the theme, ‘Electoral Landscape and Framework’, Mr. Ojo maintained: “All shenanigans by men to relegate women won’t be possible any longer under the new Electoral Act. Even, Returning Officers, unlike previously, do not have absolute power to declare winner anymore. INEC can be petitioned and issues duly investigated.

“With the use of electronic voting, you can follow up the votes cast from INEC website and do the parallel tabulation to establish evidence. There is need to encourage women candidates to deploy reliable agents to polling units that can challenge misconducts.

“You are also to improve your social capital, to be known as a person of integrity, be pro-less-privileged, be relevant in your local community as well as in your religious organisations.”