• Condemns Vote Buying, Political Violence

Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

The International Women Communication Center (IWCC) has launched a community mobilisation and advocacy campaign to tackle voter apathy, vote buying and political violence ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The Executive Director of the Center, Dr Limota Goroso Giwa, disclosed this while speaking with newsmen in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, explaining that the initiative was being implemented in collaboration with the Independent National Electoral Commission.

Giwa said the programme was designed to promote gender inclusion, increase women’s participation in politics and elections, and discourage electoral practices capable of undermining Nigeria’s democracy.

She said the campaign was currently being implemented in five local government areas of 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.

According to her, volunteers are being trained to serve as community ambassadors who will sensitise residents on gender inclusion, women’s political participation, voter apathy, vote buying and political thuggery.

She added that the volunteers would also engage 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.”

The IWCC executive director 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.

Giwa commended the Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for giving women prominence in his administration through the appointment of women as commissioners and the emergence of several women in the State House of Assembly.

She urged other governors across the country to emulate the example, saying greater political inclusion would encourage women to participate more actively in elections.

The activist disclosed that the organisation was also strengthening collaboration with security agencies to promote peaceful elections and address issues discouraging women from participating in the electoral process.

She said the center had visited the Kwara State Police Command and was planning engagements with the Department of State Services and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

She added that the organisation had also engaged the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Kwara State, as well as relevant stakeholders in Kogi State, on ways to improve citizens’ participation in elections.

Giwa identified sexual harassment and inappropriate physical contact at polling centres as some of the factors contributing to voter apathy among women.

According to her, some women have complained of being touched inappropriately by men while standing in queues at polling centres, stressing that such experiences could discourage women from returning to vote.

She also identified political violence as another major factor keeping women away from the electoral process.

Giwa therefore called on mothers to discourage their children from becoming involved in political thuggery and vote buying.

On vote buying, she urged Nigerians to reject the practice, arguing that politicians who offer money in exchange for votes were effectively taking advantage of citizens’ economic challenges.

She said resources that should be used to provide hospitals, roads, employment opportunities and other public services should not be diverted into temporary inducements during elections.

“Vote buying is buying your future. The money they are supposed to use for governance, to build hospitals, provide good roads and alleviate poverty, they are going to give you a token rather than develop you,” she said.

Giwa also called on Nigerian youths to become more active in politics, urging the current generation of leaders to deliberately mentor younger Nigerians and prepare them for leadership.

She, however, advised youths to be patient and willing to learn from experienced leaders.

She said failure to mentor and prepare younger Nigerians for leadership would amount to undermining the country’s future, stressing that the youths would eventually assume responsibility for leading the nation.

She, however, commended the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, for what she described as notable achievements within a short period in office, describing him as a “silent achiever” committed to collaboration and synergy with relevant stakeholders.

According to her, such partnerships, including with the IWCC, are essential to adopting a bottom-up approach to tackling voter apathy, promoting women’s political participation and deepening electoral engagement at the grassroots.

Limota Goroso Giwa is a grassroots leader and member of the Governing Council of Huairou Commission, a global movement of grassroots women’s organization representing a constituency of close to one million women in poor urban, rural and indigenous communities worldwide.