2015 ELECTIONS: EQUITY AND GENDER ISSUES

By Eberechi Kennedy

In history, even among the most socially advanced nations of the world, the status of women was always seen as inferior to that of their male counterpart. Not only were women's roles secondary, women were, in several cases, totally excluded from participation in certain activities.

There is no gainsaying the fact that women have great potentials to contribute meaningfully to the development of their country. Despite the difficulties faced by women in politics, they have continued with their political ambition, contributing enormously to the political and national development in their own way.

More often than not, they are besieged with challenges of which discrimination is top. Majority of the men more on chauvinistic disposition are preoccupied with the notion that decision making is exclusively for the men folk while women are to be instructed on what to do. This idea of seeing the women playing the number two role at homes has come to play itself out in the political life of the people. This ought not to be so with regards to the ever dynamic nature of things globally as women are now seen in the international community as critical players in nation building.

No doubt, the Nigerian political terrain has been very challenging for women, yet significant and laudable milestones have been recorded through the women who have weathered the storm in the face of daunting challenges and oppositions thrown up by the dynamics of Nigerian political structure. As such, today, women are participating more actively in political issues than ever before as a result of political re-awakening and awareness contained in the President Jonathan's National Gender Policy as part of his transformational agenda.

Beyond this, the 2011 general elections, where only 32 women were elected into the national parliament leaves much to be desired of the Nigerian political mindset. Indeed, for development of any kind to be successful, a vantage position should be accorded the women, as they constitute larger proportion of the population. In this regard, they should not be left out in the issues of decision making that bothers even on their lives as a people. This belief has however seen more female political heavyweights to the list of governorship aspirants in most states of the federation in the build up to the 2015 general elections. Prominent among them are Senator Chris Anyanwu of Imo State, Senator Nkechi Nwogu of Abia State and Dr. Ngozi Juliet Olejeme of Delta State, just to mention but a few.

Senator NKechi J. Nwaogu has overtime distinguished herself as an embodiment trust, honesty and integrity. While at the lower chamber of the National Assembly, she served in various House Committees and performed creditably well. Since there is no hiding place for a golden fish, this woman of substance who has made humanity proud with her vast national and international political contacts coupled with administrative and managerial wizardry was not done yet. And so having demonstrated outstanding qualities she moved up the ladder and ran for the Senatorial seat under the largest political party in Africa -The Peoples Democratic Party. Determined to battle in the men's world, she secured the overwhelming Electoral victory of her people thereby emerging victorious as the Senator representing Abia Central Senatorial District at the upper legislative arm of the National Assembly where she is presently the Chairman, Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions.

Senator Chris Anyanwu on the other hand is a Nigerian journalist, publisher, author, and erudite politician who was imprisoned from 1995 to 1998 for treason after reporting on a failed coup d'état against the government of Sani Abacha. Incidentally, she won several international journalism prizes during her confinement, including the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize. Believing that she could make more of an impact in politics than in journalism, Anyanwu ran for and was elected Senator for the Imo East (Owerri) constituency in 2007 and 2011.

At the Senate, Chris Anyanwu has contributed to the enactment of good legislation that has directly and/or indirectly impacted on the quality of life of Nigerians. Empowerment of and employment generation, social security, security of life and property, environmental regeneration, women's empowerment and full inclusion and finally reinforcement of basic freedoms and human rights of the individual including the freedom of expression have been her passion.

Dr. Mrs. Ngozi Olejemeon her own part is a successful entrepreneur, an astute Politician and Administrator of repute. A boardroom guru with a wealth of experience, she has a proven record of success in administrative governance and business management. Olejeme has received several recognitions in Nigeria and abroad for her impact in the society but the reward for her excelling contributions for a better society is not just in the plagues that dotes around the wall, but it is in seeing the less privileged cared for, seeing equity in wealth distribution. Supporting women build back their economic and social life are some of the projects that fires up her passion. No wonder as governorship candidate in Delta State in 2007 her campaign was configured on ending poverty and improving quality of life for all in the oil rich state.

Her Foundation; 'Ngozi Olejeme Foundation', underscores her passion for social security. It caters for the widows, it empowers women and the under privileged. Also her role in the Country's Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Program, SURE-P; a program derived from the partial removal of subsidy for fuel, speaks of her capacity to care for the poor through adopting poverty alleviating policies.

Beyond humanitarian services, Dr. Olejeme has invariably proven to be a great asset in public service both at the state and at the federal levels. In 2009, Olejeme was appointed for a four year term as board chairman of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF). For her transformational leadership at NSITF, she got reappointed for another term of a four year in 2011. She is also chair of Pension Trust PLC, a subsidiary of NSITF, which strictly administers pension matters. She was instrumental to the enhanced services of the NSITF, where she fought for and won the acceptance of Employee Compensation Scheme (ECS) and the passage of the bill into Act. The scheme protects all categories of workers both in private and public sector across Nigeria. The scheme simply makes provision for compensation to employees and their dependents for any injury, disease, disability or death arising in the course of employment.

Going by the antecedents of these women coupled with geographical indices we are on the verge of seeing female governors in their respective states come 2015. In Delta State, only Delta South and Delta Central had occupied the Delta State governorship from Olorogun Felix Ibru to Chief James Ibori and the incumbent Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan. This leaves Delta North with the advantage of producing the next governor of the state and Dr. Ngozi Olejeme seems to be riding on the crest of the desire of the people for real change come 2015. Deltans will be making a historic statement if she is elected as governor of the state. Again, in Imo State, there is an increasing desire of the people for power to shift to Imo East Senatorial district particularly Mbaise as no Mbaise person has occupied the leadership position of the State due to a seeming political marginalization. This political calculations favour Senator Chris Anyanwu as she has remained a force to reckon with in Mbaise in particular and Imo State at large having represented Owerri senatorial zone very credibly in the upper legislative chamber. On the one hand, Senator NKechi Nwaogu comes from Abia Central Senatorial District, which is yet to produce a governor for Abia State. Among all that have indicated interest in running for the Abia State governorship, she has affected life and governance in so many several ways.

Moreover, the good thing is that President Jonathan's confidence in Nigerian women has not been misplaced. Some of his administration's greatest achievements, since he came into office, have been in Ministries, Parastatals and Departments manned by women. For example, since the inception of the Jonathan administration, the national economy has been strong and steady. A recent forecast by the IMF has it that the Nigerian economy will grow by an average of 7.3% in 2014, which is an improvement on the 6.7% average of 2013. The person who has been working hard to ensure this resilience of the national economy is a woman, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala, the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance. Another success story of the Jonathan administration is the Aviation Sector, which has been remarkably transformed all over the country. Again, this monumental feat was achieved by yet another woman, Mrs. Stella Oduah, former Minister of Aviation. Nigerian women, serving in various other capacities, have not been less successful in performance.

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