WOMEN’S STATEMENT ON THE ELECTORAL BILL 2021

July 4, 2021

#SaveOurElections #NoToManualTransmissionOfResults #SaveNGElectoralIntegrity

 

The Electoral Bill 2021, which aims to repeal the Electoral Act No 6 2010 and re-enact a new Act, is set to be passed by the National Assembly on Tuesday, July 6, 2021. However, the alleged final copy of the Bill has been manipulated and is at variance with the approved version of the Bill which represents citizens’ demands. Some key provisions of the manipulated Bill that are particularly worrying are:

  • the prohibition of electronic transmission of results (Section 50(2));
  • the removal of INEC’s power to review results declared under duress or in contravention of electoral laws and guidelines (Section 65); and
  • the drastic increase in the limits for campaign expenses from N1 billion to N15 billion for President, N2 million to N5 billion for Governor, N40 million to N1.5 billion for Senate, N30 million to N500 million for House of Representatives, and N10 million to N50 million for State House of Assembly (Section 88).

These provisions have the potential to undermine transparency and fairness in elections. This affects women disproportionately for two main reasons:

  1. Women rarely get the tickets for the ‘big parties’ and often their hope lies with the smaller parties.
  2. Women typically have less financial resources than their male counterparts.

Regarding the issue of women relying on smaller parties, the 2019 general elections provides a good illustration as there was an increase in the number of women candidates compared to 2015, but a decrease in the number of women who actually got elected. According to a report by Center for Democracy and Development, one reason for this discrepancy is that many of the women candidates were contesting on the platform of smaller parties, which meant that they had less chances of winning. Increasing fairness and transparency in elections would reduce the disadvantage that larger parties have over smaller parties, and help to level the playing field. In turn, this should have an indirect effect on improving women’s chances of winning elections.

In order to improve the political representation of women, we therefore demand that the original provisions of the Electoral Bill 2021 be reinstated. INEC should be empowered to electronically transmit results and review results declared under duress so as to reduce the level of electoral malpractices that have become so common in our country. If the mainstream political parties and candidates are prevented from manipulating election results, smaller parties and women candidates will stand a better chance at winning elections.

Furthermore, the original limits on campaign expenses should be upheld to prevent elections being won by the highest bidder. This is particularly important for women who typically have less access to financial resources or sponsorship compared to their male counterparts.

Ultimately, our demands are intended to benefit not just women but also the country as a whole, since they are aimed at improving electoral integrity. We call on the National Assembly to address these demands as a matter of urgency and ensure that the original Bill, rather than the manipulated one, is passed on Tuesday, 6 July 2021.

We the undersigned organisations and individuals are members of the Feminist Womanifesto Group:

  1. 100 Women Lobby Group
  2. 9jafeminista
  3. Abiodun Essiet Initiative for Girls
  4. Above Whispers Foundation
  5. Above Whispers Media Foundation
  6. Action Aid Nigeria
  7. ActionAid International
  8. ACTS Generation GBV
  9. Ade Grange Child Foundation
  10. ADEM Community & Human Development Foundation
  11. Adinya Arise Foundation (AAF)
  12. Advocate for Health and Development Initiative
  13. African Women&#39’s Initiative/ Verity CNET
  14. African Women’s Initiative (AWI)
  15. Ajegunle Community Project
  16. Ajoke Ayisat Afolabi Foundation
  17. Alliances for Africa (AfA)
  18. Aminchi Women Cooperative Society
  19. ARDA Development Communication Inc.
  20. Arise Nigerian Woman Foundation.
  21. ASWHAN
  22. ATATA Development and Empowerment Foundation (ADEF)
  23. Ayisha Osori
  24. Ayodeji Fadugba
  25. Baobab for Women’s Human Rights
  26. BLECCA Foundation
  27. Bring Back Our Girls
  28. Briskila Emefesi Women Foundation (BEWOF)
  29. Cece Yara Foundation
  30. Cedar Seed Foundation
  31. CEE-HOPE Nigeria
  32. Center for Economic Empowerment and Gender Activities (CEEGA)
  33. Centre for Alternative Development and Self-Enhancement (CEADESE NG)
  34. Centre for Health and Development in Africa(CHEDA)
  35. Centre for Nonviolence and Gender Advocacy in Nigeria (CENGAIN)
  36. Centre for Peace Education and Community Development
  37. Centre for Women’s Health and Information (CEWHIN)
  38. Change Managers International Network
  39. Charity Women Spring of Salvation
  40. Chedal Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society
  41. Child Care and Adult Protection Initiative (CCAPI)
  42. Choung-Dung Women Association.
  43. Christian Women for Excellence and Empowerment in Nigerian Society (CWEENS)
  44. Christian Women in Nigerian Politics
  45. Citizens Center for Integrated Development and Social Rights (CCIDESOR)
  46. Community and Youth Development
  47. Community Education Advancement of Peace and Development Initiative (CEAPDI)
  48. Community Initiative for Healthy and Peaceful Society
  49. Community Life Project (CLP)
  50. Community Rescue Initiative (CRI)
  51. Community Women Initiatives
  52. Country Associates Network
  53. Courageous People Health and Development Initiative (CPHDL)
  54. Crestville Development Foundation
  55. Development in Practice Gender and Entrepreneurial Initiative (DIPGEI)
  56. Diaspora Womanifesto2019
  57. Dinidari Foundation
  58. Dorothy Njemanze Foundation
  59. Dream Alive Women and Orphans Support Foundation (DAWOS Foundation)
  60. Ebere Ifendu
  61. Echoes of Women in Africa Initiatives
  62. Edo Women&#39’s Development Initiative
  63. Education As A Vaccine (EVA)
  64. EiE Nigeria
  65. Emerge Women Development Initiative
  66. Empowerment and Action Research Centre
  67. Equality Through Education Foundation (ETEF)
  68. Equity Advocates (EA)
  69. Equity Advocates
  70. FACICP Disability Plus
  71. FAME Foundation
  72. Federal Ministry of Justice, Abuja
  73. Federal Ministry of Women Affairs
  74. Federation of Informal Workers of Nigeria (FIWON)
  75. Federation of Muslim Women Association in Nigeria (FOMWAN)
  76. Federation of Paralegal Network (FEDPAN)
  77. Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA)
  78. Fembridge Development Initiative (FEDI)
  79. FIDA Nigeria
  80. First Future Leadership
  81. First Future Leadership Company/GTE
  82. FOMWAN
  83. Forward in Action for Education, Poverty and Malnutrition (FACE-PAM)
  84. FRED
  85. Funke Baruwa
  86. Gender Action Awareness Trust
  87. Gender and Constitution Reform Network (GECORN)
  88. Gender and Development Action (GADA)
  89. Gender and Environmental Risk Reduction Initiative(GERI)
  90. Gender Awareness Trust (GAT)
  91. Gender Development Initiative
  92. Gender Equality Center
  93. Gender Equality, Peace and Development Centre
  94. Gender Technical Unit (GTU)
  95. Girl Child Advocacy and Education Initiatives
  96. Girl Child Africa
  97. Girl Child Education, Care & Rehabilitation
  98. Girl Education Rehabilitation and Care (GERAC)
  99. Girls Power Initiative (GPI)
  100. Global Hope for Women and Children Foundation (GLOHWOC)
  101. Global Liberation for Women
  102. Green Spring Development Initiative
  103. Habiba Dangana (Hadis) Foundation
  104. Heal Disability Initiative
  105. Health Education and Human Rights Advocacy Initiative
  106. Health Reform Foundation of Nigeria(HERFON)
  107. HEIR Women Development
  108. Help Initiative for Social Justice & Humanitarian Development
  109. Hope for New Life
  110. Initiative for Research, Innovation and Advocacy in Development (IRIAD)
  111. Inter Africa Committee (IAC)
  112. Inter Gender Peace Foundation
  113. International Action Network on Small Arms Women Network Of
  114. International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA Nigeria)
  115. International Hairstylists, Barber and Body Therapists (IHSTOBAN)
  116. International Society of Media in Public Health (ISMPH)
  117. International Women Communication Centre
  118. Iyaniwura Children Care Foundation
  119. Jamatul Nasir Islam, Women Wing
  120. Jana Health Foundation
  121. Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies
  122. Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC)
  123. Justice Development and Peace Mission (JDPM)
  124. K/Mashi Gamji Women
  125. Kebetkache Women Development and Resources Centre
  126. Kimpact Initiatives
  127. Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND)
  128. Kungiyar Tallafin Mata Development Initiative
  129. League of Queens International Empowerment
  130. League of Women Voters of Nigeria NILOWV
  131. Learning Skills Through Skills Acquisition Initiative (LETSAI)
  132. LEDAP
  133. Lift Initiative
  134. MBULA Women Association
  135. Media &Amp; Teens Network.
  136. Media Concern Initiative
  137. MODAC
  138. Mojubaolu Olufunke Okome
  139. More Women in Politics
  140. My Voice My Future NGO
  141. Nasrul – Lahi-L- Faith Society (NASFAT)
  142. National Association of Women Journalist (NAWOJ)
  143. National Centre for Women Development
  144. National Council of Women Societies (NCWS)
  145. NECA’s Network of Entrepreneurial Women
  146. Neighbourhood Care -Well Foundation
  147. Network of Reproductive Health Journalists of Nigeria, NRHJN
  148. Next Initiative for Gender Actions (NIGA)
  149. NGAS Women Farmers’ Cooperative Society
  150. Nigeria Association of Women Journalist (NAWOJ)
  151. Nigeria For Women Project
  152. Nigeria Labour Congress, Women Committee
  153. Nigeria Union Of Teachers (NUT)
  154. Nigerian Express
  155. Nigerian Women Politics Forum
  156. Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NTWF)
  157. Ogayem Merciful Care and Support Initiatives (OMCSI)
  158. Ogun Women Alive
  159. Olajumoke Yacob-Haliso
  160. Olive Community Development Initiatives
  161. Onomese Foundation
  162. Osi Joe Touching Lives Initiative
  163. Our Lady of Perpetual Help Initiative (OLPHI)
  164. Ovie Brume Foundation
  165. Partners West Africa
  166. Peasant Dragnet
  167. Princess Hamman-Obels
  168. Proactive Gender Initiative (PGI)
  169. Project Alert on Violence Against Women
  170. Quinnipiac University
  171. Ray of Hope Community Foundation
  172. Relief Development Initiative Kaduna
  173. Responsible Citizenship and Human Development Initiative
  174. She Forum Africa
  175. She4She Africa Initiative
  176. Shout Global Health
  177. Small-scale Women Farmers Organization of Nigeria (SWOFON)
  178. South- South Professional Women Association.
  179. Stand to End Rape (STER)
  180. Stephanie Peace Building Development Foundation
  181. Support for Needy Children and Women Initiative (SUNCHI)
  182. SWOFON National Abuja
  183. Taraba State University
  184. TechHerNG
  185. The Access Foundation
  186. The Inclusion Project (TIP)
  187. The Priceless Jewels Foundation
  188. The Woman Today Newspaper TWT
  189. THR Media – HERFESSIONS INITIATIVE
  190. Tonia Bruised But Not Broken Foundation
  191. Transformation and Development Center (TDC)
  192. Transition Monitoring Group
  193. Tunde & Friends Foundation (TAFF)
  194. UC Women Commission
  195. UN Women
  196. UTO Foundation
  197. Vision Spring Initiatives (VSI)
  198. Voice of Ogun Women (VOW)
  199. West African Network for Peace
  200. Widows Development Organization (WIDO)
  201. Woman-Being Concern Nigeria
  202. Women & Youth Awareness Empowerment Network (WOYAEN)
  203. Women Advocacy, HIV Prevention and Other Diseases (WAHPOD)
  204. Women Advocates Research and Documentation Center (WARDC)
  205. Women Aid Collective
  206. Women and Youth Empowerment for Advancement and Health Initiative
  207. Women Consortium of Nigeria (WOCON)
  208. Women education advocacy and development Initiatives (WEADI)
  209. Women Empowerment and Initiative Development
  210. Women Empowerment and Reproductive Health Centre (WERHC)
  211. Women Empowerment Education and peace building Initiative (WEPBI)
  212. Women Environmental Programme
  213. Women Farmers Alliance
  214. Women for Peace and Gender Equality Initiative (WOPEGEE)
  215. Women for Women International
  216. Women Foundation Initiative
  217. Women Foundation of Nigeria (WFN)
  218. Women in Action for Positive Development and Gender Enhancement Center (WAPGADEC)
  219. Former Women Action Organization (WAO)
  220. Women in Africa Initiative
  221. Women in Agriculture
  222. Women in Mining
  223. Women in Politics Forum
  224. Women Information Network (WINET)
  225. Women Initiative for Democracy and Empowerment (WIDE)
  226. Women Law and Development Initiative (WOLDI)
  227. Women Law Development Center of Nigeria (WLDCN)
  228. Women Lead Agric
  229. Women League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF)
  230. Women of Vision Development Initiative
  231. Women Protection Organization (WOPO)
  232. Women Wing of The Christian Association Of Nigeria (WOWICAN)
  233. Women, Infants and Children Care Initiative (WICCI)
  234. Women, Youths and Children Advancement Program
  235. Women Aid Collective (WACOL)
  236. Women Optimum Development Foundation-WODEF
  237. Women Right to Education Programme (WREP)
  238. Women’s Crisis Centre Owerri
  239. Women’s Rights and Health Project (WRAHP)
  240. Working Moms Africa
  241. Wumi Asubiaro Dada
  242. Yeye Adenike Agnes Shobajo
  243. Yiaga Africa
  244. Youth Future Savers Initiative
  245. Zonta International Club of Lagos 1

Submit an article

This blog focuses on good governance and public accountability issues in Nigeria.
We appreciate your contributions.

Kindly send your articles to research@eienigeria.org.