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INEC, CSO collaborates to increase women, youths participation in politics
INEC, CSO collaborate to increase women, youths participation in politics
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it is collaborating with the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), a civil society organisation (CSO), towards increasing women and youths participation in politics.
Sam Egwu, the INEC Niger Resident Electoral Commissioner, stated this at a roundtable on ‘Strengthening Internal Democracy with Special Focus on Gender and Social Inclusion in Abuja.
Mr Egwu said the aim was to increase the number of women and youths in elective offices in the country. He added that the collaboration would also help increase the participation of People With Disabilities (PWDs) in the political space.
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“The continued exclusion of women, youth and PWDs in politics challenges Nigeria’s claim to a democratic status of accommodation of diversity and amounts to a denial of citizenship rights,” explained Mr Egwu. “Nigeria has only paid attention to territorially based diversities which are ethno-regional differences; even then poorly managed. Many explanations like the ideology of patriarchy, culture, the resistance of parties to democratic practices, lack of economic power, low level of mobilisation of women, weak regulation, among others are responsible.”
Mr Egwu said statistics indicated that the 2019 general election witnessed the lowest voter turnout in Nigerian history and a drop in the participation of women, youths, and PWDs in an election.
Mr Egwu stressed that political parties had to be pressured by regulatory bodies, CSOs and citizens to entrench party quotas guaranteed in law to change the outcome.
He charged the National Assembly to enact laws that would help boost the participation of marginalised groups in politics in Nigeria.
PLAC executive director Clement Nwankwo explained that the event was organised with the MacArthur Foundation’s support to help increase the participation of women, youths, and PWDs in politics.
Mr Nwankwo added that political parties were the only platforms for candidates to contest elections in Nigeria, so candidates presented by the parties to contest needed to be inclusive of the population, demography, and diversity.
He said in Nigeria, women occupied only 21 out of 469 seats in the National Assembly, making Nigeria the worst performer in West Africa on the representation of women in parliaments.
Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC)’s national chairman Yabagi Sani said the council was aware of the challenges faced by PWDS, women and youths and was working to deepen democracy by increasing their representation.
“We are in the season of political activities towards 2023, which will be a watershed in our journey towards entrenching democracy, so IPAC’s in entrenching inclusiveness is key,” he said.
MacArthur Foundation’s Africa director Kole Shettima said there was the need to analyse Nigeria’s democracy to assess the level of social inclusion.
“This is because unless we really get this right to enable an all-important segment of our society to be part of this process, we will still be excluded in our democracy we will not be able to deliver. The foundation has evolved a concept called gender and social inclusion as a mechanism to bring up the voices of people who have been excluded in our democratic system.”
(NAN)
Four Soldiers Injured in Vehicle Accident on Mambilla Plateau
By: Zagazola Makama
Four Nigerian soldiers have sustained injuries in a vehicle accident on the Mambilla Plateau in Taraba State.
The accident occurred on Thursday while the troops were moving across the mountainous terrain of the area, Zagazola reports.
The Emir of Mambilla, Dr. Shehu Audu Baju, was said to have personally joined in the rescue operation to ensure that the soldiers received prompt assistance.
Following the rescue, the injured personnel were evacuated to the 20 Battalion Barracks in Serti for urgent medical care.
Community members and traditional leaders in the area have expressed sympathy and prayed for the speedy recovery of the soldiers, while also calling for the safety of other security operatives on duty.
Four Soldiers Injured in Vehicle Accident on Mambilla Plateau
UKNIAF, NGF Advance Electricity Reform with Nationwide Workshop Series
By: Michael Mike
The United Kingdom Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Facility (UKNIAF), in partnership with the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) have wrapped up a major national initiative to support State-led electricity market reforms.
The State Learning Workshop Series focused on Electricity Market Development, Integrated Resource Planning (IRP) and energy modelling software.
Workshops in Lagos, Calabar, Kano and Jos have been successfully completed, drawing participants from all the 36 States and the FCT and setting a strong precedent for what lies ahead.
These sessions equipped policymakers, regulators and stakeholders with the tools to design robust, sustainable and investor-ready electricity markets at the State level, in line with the provisions of the Electricity Act 2023.
Reflecting on the significance of this initiative, the Director-Legal/Head Power Desk at the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Mr. Chijioke Chuku,, stated that: “Nigeria’s electricity future depends on the capacity of our States to lead with vision, clarity, and technical precision. Through the workshop series, we are equipping States not just with knowledge, but with the confidence to take charge of their electricity markets. The NGF is proud to partner with UKNIAF in ensuring that the promise of the Electricity Act 2023 becomes a lived reality across the country.”
The sessions in the State Learning Workshops covered: The legal and regulatory pathways for setting up State Electricity Markets; Commercial models for private sector investment; Integration of State plans into Nigeria’s National IRP;
Practical training on the software platform for energy modelling.
The initiative drew from lessons learned in the course of UKNIAF’s work supporting the Akwa Ibom, Enugu, and Oyo State Governments—early movers in electricity market development—in setting up their markets.
It also drew from experience gained in the course of UKNIAF providing technical support to the Federal Ministry of Power in drafting both the National Integrated Electricity Policy and Nigeria’s first National Integrated Resource Plan, both of which were approved very recently.
With States now empowered by the Electricity Act 2023, this series is a timely and strategic effort to ensure capacity, coordination, and sustainability in Nigeria’s decentralised energy landscape.
UKNIAF, NGF Advance Electricity Reform with Nationwide Workshop Series
Three killed, others injured in bandits’ attack on Zamfara community
By: Zagazola Makama
Armed bandits have killed three persons and injured three others in an attack on Galadi town, Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara.
Sources confirmed the incident saying the attack occurred at about 10:50 p.m. on Aug. 27.
The sources said the bandits stormed the town, shooting sporadically, which resulted in the deaths and injuries.
Troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA were mobilised to the scene. The corpses and injured victims were evacuated to Galadi Primary Health Care Centre for autopsy and treatment.
Meanwhile, a manhunt for the fleeing culprits has been intensified, as the bandits escaped before the arrival of the joint forces,” the sources said.
Three killed, others injured in bandits’ attack on Zamfara community
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