NORTHERN WOMEN'S PARTICIPATION IN POLITICS IN NIGERIA: ANALYSIS OF NORTH CENTRAL GEO-POLITICAL ZONE

Abstract

It is a fact that the male have seriously relegated the women to the background when it comes to the running the affairs of the state despite being more than half of the voting bloc. The issue of Nigerian women being suffocated in the Nigerian political terrain cannot be overemphasized as it seems things are not getting better by the day. Men have been seen to dominate the terrain over the years and they have gotten so used to being the ones occupying political positions and it is becoming very difficult for them to give their women counterpart space. Contesting election in Nigeria is a daunting challenge for women. It is more overwhelming for those from the northern part of the country. Since Nigeria returned to democratic governance in 1999, women have recorded low representation in elective positions. Although more women are now actively participating in politics, the numbers of those that won their bids for political positions have been low. Many women fear the risk of the bumpy political landscape. This paper interrogates women participation in politics in the North with particular reference to North-Central Geo-political zone. The source of information is basically secondary and the liberal feminist theory utilized as our framework of analysis. Findings revealed that the under-representation of women in both elective and appointive positions is as result of culture and religion impediment; the educational imbalance in the North greatly affected their political ambition; huge funds in contesting elections, threats of physical attack and finally, political parties do not provide the space to ensure women's participation and representation in political party leadership. The paper therefore concludes that Nigeria is signatory to the Beijing declaration (affirmative action), that stood for women's inclusion in governance and none of the political parties respects that position. The women should therefore come out to agitate for gender equality in politics with the slogan ‘o to'ge' (enough is enough), if not gender equality in politics would remain an illusion.