The Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NWTF), says it has deployed personnel to observe female participation in the Saturday’s Osun governorship election.
Mrs Mufuliat Fijabi, Chief Executive Officer for Gender and Election Watch (GEW) Room of the NWTF said this in a statement in Abuja.
Fijabi said the organisation was in the state to observe the election from a gender perspective.
” This strategic initiative has been put in place to gather information and carryout analysis about women’s participation in the Osun election in comparison to men.
” As well as the implication of the analysis on the inclusion, credibility, and fairness of the election,” she said.
According to her, the organisation deployed 50 accredited observers and in addition citizen observers across the 30 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.
She said they were to observe and assess from a gender lens, how all elements of an election process in the governorship election can affect both men and women.
” Our observation is focused on the analysis of male and female candidates in the election, INEC’s preparedness, and the security situation.
“Also, on how it could impact on the participation of women differently from men. There is also close assessment against the background of the Electoral Act 2022 as amended,” she added.
She said that a total of 15 candidates were featuring in the 2022 Osun election compared to the 48 at took part in the state’s 2018 poll.
The chief executive officer, also said that there was no female governorship candidate, compared to 2018 where there were seven female candidates.
” The absence of female governorship candidate in the 2022 election governorship race compared to the 2018 Governorship election where there were seven female candidates is not reflective of gender inclusion drive.
” That of the 15 deputy Ggvernorship candidates, only six are female candidates.
” This represents 40 per centof the Deputy Governorship candidates compared to 17 female deputy governorship candidates out of the 48 in the 2018 governorship election,” she said.
She, however commended INEC’s timely delivery of sensitive materials and presence of security personel.
“We call on all registered voters in Osun, both males and females to vote for candidates of their choice and not subject their choice of candidates to any form of voter inducement,” she said.
She also called on security agencies to maintain their non partisanship, avoid all acts of intimidation, inappropriate use of force and arrest electoral offenders and document all evidence of infractions and violence for appropriate sanctions.
The GEW is an initiative of NWTF aimed at observing and analysing participation of women compared to men in elections through election observation from a gender perspective.