TheCable

Patience Key, a Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) presidential aspirant, says Nigeria has fewer women in political positions due to the high cost of politics.

In a recent interview with NAN, Key spoke on how to increase women participation in politics.

She explained that election nomination forms and the resulting campaign programmes are too costly for women, forcing them to shelf their ambitions.

Key said other cultural and societal norms serve as impediments for women with political ambition in Nigeria.

“There are multiple factors that prevent women from running for political offices in Nigeria. The high cost of politics prevents women from standing for positions,’’ she said.

“Also, women don’t have enough money to pay for the mandatory expression of interest and nomination forms required by political parties to run for positions on their platforms.

“They include cultural or religious norms surrounding the marriage, indigeneship — a concept that recognises only ethnic groups native to a particular state — and the structures that portray women as subordinate to men.

“They encounter gender stereotypes that assign leadership to men, sexual assault, pay gaps and unpaid labour, including childcare and housework, placing them at a disadvantage.”

She called for legislative changes that would reserve electoral positions for women.  

“Women also need to see that politics is not all dirty. They need to see governance as what affects every member of society,” she said.

“Legislative changes are needed too, and that is where affirmative action comes in. A quota system that reserves a fraction of electoral positions for women can be legislated.

“Financial support is crucial. Some women can’t afford to buy party forms. And when payment for forms is waived for women, they are often made to step down for the man who has paid.’’