…Says only two women are fielded as Deputy Governorship candidates by their political parties.
…To focus on participation of women and women with disabilities at the polls
By Chibuike Nwabuko
Abuja (Sundiata Post) – Ahead of Saturday’s election in Bayelsa State, FIDA Nigeria has said it has observed a slight upsurge in the total number of registered voters with an increase of about 12.74% from 922,182 at the last gubernatorial elections in 2019 to about 1,056,862 million presently. From 1,056,862 registered voters, about 1,017,613 have collected their permanent voters cards (PVC) which is comparatively an improved position of 12.60% compared to 2019 where about 889,308 collected their permanent voters cards.
According to FIDA’s pre-electoon statement signed by the Country Vice President/National Presiden, Amina Agbaje (Mrs), FIDA also notified that only two women are fielded as Deputy Governorship candidates by their political parties. Adding that comparatively, these figures are lower than in 2019, where three political parties had female Governorship candidates.
Similarly, Mrs Agbaje said that FIDA Nigeria with support from the Canada Fund For Local Initiatives (CFLI) under the “Enhancing Women and Women with Disabilities Participation & Representation in the Political Process & Governance project “ will observe the participation of women and women with disabilities at the polls through 20 trained accredited stationary and roving election observers who will be deployed across the 8 Local Government Areas of Bayelsa State.
The statement reads in full:
FIDA NIGERIA PRE- ELECTION STATEMENT ON THE 2023 BAYELSA STATE GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION
Introduction
On Saturday 11th November 2023, Citizens of Bayelsa State will exercise their franchise at 2,244 polling units within 105 registration area centers across the state towards electing a Governor at the off-cycle gubernatorial elections. This election marks the fourth election conducted following the enactment of the Electoral Act 2022 and first after the 2023 general elections with attention hinged on the Independent National Electoral Commission (Electoral Management Body) performance in administering the polls.
The International Federation of women Lawyers (FIDA Nigeria) has diligently observed situational happenings and pre-election incidents ahead of the elections. We have observed a slight upsurge in the total number of registered voters with an increase of about 12.74% from 922,182 at the last gubernatorial elections in 2019 to about 1,056,862 million presently. From 1,056,862 registered voters, about 1,017,613 have collected their permanent voters cards (PVC) which is comparatively an improved position of 12.60% compared to 2019 where about 889,308 collected their permanent voters cards. This indicates that more citizens are engaging in the political process and have taken advantage of the continuous voter’s registration towards ensuring that their votes count at the polls.
During the 2019 Bayelsa State Governorship Elections, a total of 45 Political Parties fielded candidates for the Governorship elections, however at the forthcoming elections, electorates will be given the options to choose from the 16 political parties fielding candidates at the polls. During our pre- election observation which is clearly qualitative, we observed that only two political parties fielded women as Governorship Candidates, similarly only two women are fielded as Deputy Governorship candidates by their political parties. Comparatively these figures are lower than in 2019, where three political parties had female Governorship candidates. However from the sixteen political parties, none of the fielded candidates are persons with disabilities which has restricted political representation by women in the highest executive position in the state.
Methodology/ Approach
FIDA Nigeria with support from the Canada Fund For Local Initiatives (CFLI) under the “Enhancing Women and Women with Disabilities Participation & Representation in the Political Process & Governance project “ will observe the participation of women and women with disabilities at the polls through 20 trained accredited stationary and roving election observers who will be deployed across the 8 Local Government Areas of Bayelsa State. An election observation tool has been developed and our approach in observation will be both qualitative and quantitative as we will leverage on partnerships with other civil society actors in documenting election incidences promoting participation of women and women with disabilities at the polls. FIDA Nigeria citizen’s engagement will be made possible through the establishment of an Election Data Analytical Centre in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, where our Data Analysts will be documenting and analyzing findings from our citizen observers through the help of civic technology.
General Observations/Expectations
Securing the polls: We expect strategic deployment of security personnel across the 2,244polling units of the state towards forestalling any form of violence at the polls which will limit the participation of women, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups. We applaud the deployment of 27,000 police personnel by the Nigeria Police which will ensure that a minimum of four police personnel are stationed in every polling unit in line with global best practices. We further applaud the deployment of 22,600 across Bayelsa, Kogi and Imo states by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. We call on other sister security agencies to massively deploy her personnel at the polls to checkmate violence especially in flashpoints and high risks local government areas of Nembe,Brass, Southern Ijaw, and Ogbia and all forms of vote-buying that may impede the credibility of the poll. We urge security agencies to ensure inclusivity of females into their deployment plans and strategy while having a monitoring mechnaism in place for deployed security personnel at the polling units to be identified by their name tags and demonstrate non-partisanship in the discharge of their responsibilities and abide with the revised code of conduct and rules of engagement for security personnel on election duty.
INEC logistical arrangements to aid priority voting for vulnerable groups: We expect early deployment of sensitive and non-sensitive election materials at the polling units as well as poll officials at the commencement of polls. This will help to promote confidence in the system and improve credibility of the poll. We have observed that the Independent National Electoral Commission has religiously followed her set timetable & schedule of activities sequel to the elections which are in consonance with the dictates of the Electoral Act. We are delighted that the Election Management Body is abiding by her 2018 framework on access and participation of persons with disabilities in the electoral process and the provisions of the Disability Act of 2019 by mainstreaming persons with disabilities as Adhoc polling staff. We hope that the Independent National Electoral Commission complies with the aforementioned frameworks towards ensuring effective and seamless participation of 880 registered persons with disabilities in the elections. We urge the Independent National Electoral Commission to ensure provision of magnifying glasses for persons with low vision & albinism, braille for persons with visual impairment & providing priority voting for persons with disabilities, nursing mothers, pregnant women, the aged/elderly and other vulnerable groups at the polls.
High turnout of female voters: We expect that an increase in registered female voters will translate to more voters especially women and persons with disabilities participation at the polls. The state has a record of above average turnout of voters in previous elections except for 2015 where it had a low turnout of about 35.15%. From INEC records, about 490,707 females amounting to 46% of the voting population registered for the 2023 Governorship Elections which demonstrates an increase in female voters when compared to 2019 with 424,392 registered female voters . We recall that at the 2019 gubernatorial elections 54.83% of the total voting population exercised their franchise. We expect that due to an increased voters awareness and continuous voters registration, more women will participate actively which will transcend to an increased female voters turn-out at the polls.
Functionality of the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System: We have observed the success of the mock accreditation system on the 14th of October 2023 to test the functionality of the BVAS in nine polling units across the three senatorial districts of the state and subsequent upload of the results to the upgraded INEC Results Viewing Portal (IREV) . We hope that the system is well configured towards aiding the accreditation and voting process at the polls. FIDA Nigeria through her field observers will critically observe the functionality of this machine across the 2,244 polling units in the state.
4.0. Recommendations/Conclusions
In the light of the foregoing, key actors in the electoral processes particularly INEC, political parties, security agencies, mass media and Civil Society Organisations need to pay increasing attention to factors limiting women participation ahead of the Governorship Election.
As such, the following recommendations are considered pertinent:
Deployment of Electoral materials (Sensitive & Non –Sensitive) across all Registration Area Centers and polling units timeously is key for an improved political participatory process for women.
Effective collaboration and synergy with other stakeholders especially INEC, Security agencies and Election Observation Groups should be cultivated and sustained.
Security agencies should continually adhere to the principles of impartiality and neutrality toward securing the polls which will help in mitigating electoral violence especially those perpetuated against women in elections.
5.0. Conclusion
FIDA Nigeria calls on women, persons with disabilities and the good people of Bayelsa State to exercise their franchise at the polls peacefully and resist any form of vote inducement and to shun all forms of electoral violence. Political parties are also enjoined to conduct themselves creditably in order to promote a peaceful process.
May God Bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Amina Agbaje (Mrs)
Country Vice President/National President
