By Luminous Jannamike, Abuja

A non-governmental organisation, the Nigerian Women Trust Fund, has partnered with the Independent National Electoral Commission to empower market women in Abuja, the nation’s capital on civic education, voter education and electoral process ahead of the 2023 general elections.

At a sensitisation outreach held at Garki International Market, Abuja, on Thursday, the organisers urged the participants to reach out to more women at the grass roots ahead of the elections.

The programme tagged, ‘Balance4her Market Outreach’, organised with support from the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN) aimed to educate women on the electoral process.

Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Women Trust Fund, Mrs Mufuliat Fijabi, said the participants, at the end of the programme, were expected to reach out other women at the grass roots to enable them make informed choices during the elections.

Fijabi lamented that for Nigerian women especially, democracy is moving backward, with the dwindling number of women in governance in Nigeria.

She observed that the level of women involvement in Nigerian politics was still low, describing it as alarming.

“However, not voting will only worsen the situation hence the reason why we are encouraging women to actively participate in the forthcoming elections through the power of the PVC,” she added.

A representative of the INEC, the Deputy Director in charge of Gender Relations, Mrs Victoria Eta-messi, said the commission was ready to work with women-focused civil society organisations towards the success of the 2023 elections.

According to her, the women form more than half of registered voters in the nation’s population which should serve as opportunity for them to determine who becomes Nigeria’s next leader.

Also speaking, ElectHer Special Projects Lead, Anto Lecky, noted that the National Assembly has over 400 members, but only six per cent are women.

“That means less than 20 persons in the National Assembly are women. It doesn’t make sense. So, we are asking you amazing women with your PVC to go out on those election days and vote for the right candidates and we believe many of the right candidates are women and we know many people do not have their PVCs that doesn’t stop you from being part of the electoral process.

“You that doesn’t have your PVC must help the person that has their PVC that you are relying and counting on them to make a better Nigeria so on that same day you cannot your neighbor that wants to stay at home and watch to sell to go out and vote on Election Day,” she said.

On her part, Laolu Olawumi of EU-SDGN, cautioned the women against vote-trading in the 2023 election, saying “Your vote matters. And that is why on election day, if they give you the money, even if you take the money, make sure that you still vote for people that you know will have your best interests at heart.”