Women’s Group Launches Campaign Against Voter Apathy, Thuggery

The International Women Communication Centre (IWCC) has kicked off a community mobilisation and advocacy campaign to tackle voter apathy, vote-buying and political violence in Nigeria.

The executive director of IWCC, Dr Limota Goroso Giwa, disclosed this to LEADERSHIP in Ilorin, Kwara State.

Giwa said the initiative was being implemented in collaboration with the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC).

She said the programme was designed to promote gender inclusion, increase women’s participation in politics and elections and discourage electoral practices that could undermine the country’s democracy.

She said the campaign was currently being implemented in five local government areas in Kwara State, namely Baruten, Ilorin South, Edu, Moro and Kaiama, as well as five local government areas in Kogi State,  identified as areas requiring special attention to improve women’s political participation.

She said volunteers were being trained to serve as community ambassadors who would sensitise residents to gender inclusion, women’s political participation, voter apathy, vote-buying and political thuggery.

She added that the volunteers would also engage with traditional, religious, political, and community stakeholders, organise town hall meetings and facilitate discussions on peaceful and inclusive participation in the electoral process.

Giwa stressed that increasing women’s participation in politics should go beyond voting, urging political leaders to provide women with greater opportunities to contest elections and occupy positions of responsibility.

She said: “Women are as capable as men. We need to promote gender inclusion and ensure that women are given opportunities to contribute to governance.”

Giwa also urged women to support one another, saying the narrative that “women are the enemies of women” must be discarded.

She said women must resist attempts by politicians to divide them for political advantage, adding that greater solidarity among women would strengthen their collective voice in politics and governance.