30/03/2023

2023 GENERAL ELECTION AND INCLUSIVITY

The 2023 general election was unique because it showed the surge and awakening of
young people who are in the election.
The Nigerian constitution guarantees equal rights for men and women in political,
social, and economic life, including people with disabilities. However, the political
and electoral systems seem not to fully encourage affirmative action for women,
youth, and People with Disabilities (PWD). Despite concerted efforts to advance
progress in increasing women’s political participation as candidates since the 2019
elections including the tabling of a private member’s bill in parliament to promote
gender equity, the bill was not passed.
Women’s Participation in the 2023 Election
Research has shown that there is a continuing decline in women’s political
participation since 2010 despite deliberate efforts to promote the progress of women
in political participation as candidates since the 2019 elections. Two bills; The bill to
enable women be identified as indigenes of a state by virtue of marriage when running
for office and the women’s representation in legislative houses bill 2022, to encourage
women’s participation in political activities are yet to be passed.
In 2015, there were 7 Female Senators in the Senate and 22 (6.8%) out of 360
members in the House of Representatives. In the 2019 elections, the number of female
senators in government were still 7 and declined to 11(3.05%) in the House of
Representative.1 Also comparing the 2019 and 2023 elections; there were 22 female
presidential candidates and 6 vice presidential candidates for 73 political parties and
candidates in 2019, while in the 2023 general election, there was only one female
presidential candidate out of 18 political parties and candidates, 3 females out of 98
elected senators, 14 out of 325 elected House of Representatives seats which represent
just 17 (3.5%) out of the 423 seats with men holding the remaining 406 seats..
Analysis:
 One female presidential candidate, Princess Chichi Ojei under APM pulled
25,000 votes, did not emerge.
 25 female gubernatorial candidates from 18 states form various political
parties, mostly from emerging parties. Just one female governorship candidate
from the running party APC, Aishatu Dahiru for Adamawa State.
 No female emerged as Governor-Elect in the 2023 election in any state, except
Adamawa state declared inconclusive and will have a rerun, with a female as
part of the gubernatorial candidates.

1
https://ir.nilds.gov.ng/handle/123456789/889#:~:text=There%20were%207%20Female%20Senators,11%20in
%202019%20(3.05%25).
  There are 6 women Deputy Governor-Elect in the 2023 general Election
compared to the 2019 election which produced only 4 female Deputy
Governors.
 3 female elected senators in the 2023 general election and 14 House of
Representatives elected.
 There are 10 elected female state house of assembly election in the 2023
general election.
Details of women who emerged in the 2023 election include:
S/N NAME POSITION PARTY STATE CONSTITUENCY

Female Deputy Governors in the 2023 General Election

1. Engr. (Mrs.) Deputy APC Ogun Ogun State
Noimot Salako- Governor
Oyedele
2. Dr. Hadiza Deputy APC Kaduna Kaduna State
Sabuwa Balarabe Governor
3. Patricia Obila Deputy APC Ebonyi Ebonyi State
Governor
4. Prof. Ngozi Odu Deputy PDP Rivers Rivers State
Governor
5. Mrs. Josephine Deputy PDP Plateau Plataeu State
Piyo. Governor
6. Sen. Akon Etim Deputy PDP Akwa Akwa Ibom State
Eyakenyi Governor Ibom
LIST OF FEMALE FEDERAL LEGISLATORS
Female Senators who won in the 2023 General Election
1. Ipalibo Banigo Senate PDP RIVERS Rivers West Senatorial
District.
2. Kingibe Ireti Senate LP FCT Federal Capital
Territory.
3. Adebule Idiat Senate APC LAGOS Lagos West Senatorial
Oluranti District.

Female House of Representatives Members

4 Orogbu Obiagel Member, LP Anambra Awkwa North/Awka
Federal HoR. South
5. Nnabuife Member, YPP Anambra Orumba North/
Chinwe Clara Federal HoR. Orumba South
6. Gwacham Member, APGA Anambra Oyi/Ayamelum
Mauren Chinwe Federal HoR.
7. Ebikake Marie Member, PDP Bayelsa Brass/Nembe
Enenimiete Federal HoR.
8. Akume Regina Member, APC Benue Gboko/Tarka
Federal HoR.
 9 Onuh Onyeche Member, APC Benue Otukpo/Ohimili
Blessing Federal HoR.
10. Zainab Gimba Member, APC Borno Bama/Ngala/Kala-
Federal HoR. Balge
11. Ibori-Suenu Member, PDP Delta Ethiope East/ Ethiope
Erhiatake Federal HoR. State West
12. Onuoha Miriam Member, APC Imo State Isiala Mbano, Okigwe,
Odinaka Federal HoR. Onuimo
13. Beni Butmak Lar Member, PDP Plateau Langtang North,
Federal HoR. Langtang South
14. Goodhead Boma Member, PDP Rivers Akuku Toru, Asari
Federal HoR. Toru
15. Bukar Abba Member, APC Yobe Damaturu, Gujuba,
Ibrahim Federal HoR. Gulani, Tarmuwa
Khadijah
16. Fatima Talba Member, APC Yobe Nangere Potiskum
Federal HoR.
17 Adewunmi Member, APC Ogun Ikenne/Shagamu/Remo
Ariyomi Federal HoR.
Onanuga

Female State House of Assembly Members in the 2023 General Election

18 Mrs. Omotayo State HoA Kogi APC Ijumu Constituency
Adeleye-Ishaya
19. Mrs. Comfort State HoA Kogi APC Ibaji Constituency
Nwuchola
20. Morenike State HoA Ondo APC Owo 2 Constituency
Witherspoon
21. Annah Fayemi State HoA Ondo APC Ilaje 2 Constituency
22. Oluwatosin State HoA Ondo APC Idanre Constituency
Ogunlowo
23. Rukayat Shittu State HoA Kwara APC Owode/Onire
Constituency
24. Arinola Fatimoh State HoA Kwara APC Ilorin East
Lawal, Constituency
25. Medinat State HoA Kwara APC Lanwa/ Ejidongari
AbdulRaheem Constituency
26. Aishat State HoA Kwara APC Ilorin North-West
Babatunde- Constituency
Alanamu
27. Mariam Aladi State HoA Kwara APC Ilorin South
Constituency

However, various observations and reports showed that there was an impressive
turnout of women who participated in the electoral activities, from getting their PVCs
to coming out to vote. Priority voting was given to elderly women, pregnant women,
and nursing mothers during the 2023 general election.

Electoral Violence on women in the 2023 election.

The 2023 general election was reportedly married by electoral infractions, violence,
and attacks in many states in the country. Over the years, electoral violence has been
on the increase and it is almost impossible to have a violence-free election. Although
this is unacceptable because election is a civic right, a civic duty and not a military or
a thuggery affair.
There has been some electoral violence against women in the 2023 elections.
Amongst many, some of the women who suffered attacks, violence, and in worse case
scenarios, death during the 2023 elections include:
 The killing of Victoral Chimex: One of the pre-electoral violence was the
killing of the Labour Party woman Leader in Manchok, Kaura LGA, Kaduna
State on 28th of November, 2022. It was reported that she was mowed down in
cold blood by gunmen and her husband sustained severe injuries. This was also
recorded as political violence prior to the general election.
 A reported case of a pregnant woman, identified as Shamsiya Ibrahim during
the Presidential Election, slumped and died while waiting in the queue to vote
in Tsafe Area of Zamfara State. She traveled from Kotorkoshi area of Bungudu
Local Government to Tsafe town, a distance of about 50kilometers to cast her
vote. Priority voting was not given to her.
 It was also reported that Halimat Abowaba was allegedly shot by a hoodlum
Adedeji aka Skye, who was celebrating his party’s victory by shooting
indiscriminately. Abowaba died due to excess bleeding.
  Reports had it that a nursing mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Owie, 43, was shot by
thugs of a political party during the Presidential/National Assembly election in
Edo State.
 In Aguda, Surulere, Lagos, a woman, Mrs Jennifer Efedi was stabbed on her
face by thugs who disrupted the voting process.
 A businesswoman in Katami, Sokoto State suffered harassment, intimidation,
and loss of property as she was purportedly robbed of over three hundred bags
of grains during the 2023 Presidential Election.
 A female police officer who was moving to a collation center was harassed and
forcefully dragged by some military men which escalated to a scuffle between
the police and military men resulting to the killing of both 2 police and military
men in Taraba State.
 A reported case of a 41-year-old mother of three, Elizabeth Arigo Owie, died
on Saturday, February 25, in Ogheghe community in Ikpoba Okha Local
Council Benin City, Edo State, after being shot in the chest by suspected
political thugs who invaded her polling unit during the Presidential and
National Assembly elections.
Youth Participation in the 2023 Election.
The 2023 election came with so much enthusiasm from the youths. INEC recorded a
total of 93.5 million voters for the Nigerian 2023 election with young people between
the ages of 18 and 34 making up the highest percentage (39.65 percent) of all
registered voters.2
Although there are claims of voters apathy resulting in low voter turnout in the 2023
election compared to other elections done in the past. As a matter of fact, it is noted
that the 2023 election is the lowest in terms of voter turnout in the history of elections
in Nigeria. Out of a total of 93,469,008 registered voters in Nigeria, only 87,209,007
(93.3%) collected their PVCs and were eligible to vote during the election.
Unfortunately, only 24,025,940 votes were received (both valid and invalid). This has
proven a low voter turnout, especially from the youths, compared to the high
enthusiasm gotten in the 2023 election. Claims of other factors that are attributed to
the low voter turnout are includes; scarcity of currency and fuel, electoral violence,
intimidation and suppression, the Nigerian system and poor administration from the
electoral committees.
However, the 2023 election was unique because it showed the surge and awakening of
young people who are interested in the election. The Nigerian Youths constitute the
majority of voters in the country (source: INEC), and their participation comes from
between frustrations and high expectations. These young people showed interest and
enthusiasm in the Nigerian 2023 election and decided to stand up and protect their
democracy amidst the current living conditions (stagflation) and growing national

2
https://main.inecnigeria.org/
insecurity. In addition, the eight month long strike in 2022 by the Academic Staff
Union of Universities (ASUU) was a particular pain point among young voters.
Youth candidacy in the 2023 General Election;
Youth representation in elective positions at the state level is relatively high compared
to the national level positions. The Constitution in Sections131 (b), provides that
aspirants for the office of President must have attained the age of 35 years, while, by
Section 65 (1)(a) an aspirant to the Senate must have attained the age of 35 years.
Similarly, Sections 65(1)(b) and 106(b) provide that those aspiring to the House of
Representatives and a House of Assembly must have attained the age of 25 years.
Similarly, by Sections 177(b), aspirants for the office of Governor must have attained
the age of 35 years. As a result of the reduction of the age of limitation, there was a
massive increase in the interest of youth who ran for various positions across board in
the 2019 and 2023 General Elections.3
Analysis:
 The 2023 election youth candidacy records a decline from 34% in 2019
election to 28.6% in the 2023 election. For instance, youth candidacy for House
of Representatives plunges from 27.4% in 2019 to 21.6% in 2023. Similarly,
the State House of Assembly also dropped from 41.8% in 2019 to 35.6% in
2023.
 In the 2023 general election, political parties nominated more youth candidates
for legislative elections at the state level than executive or national assembly
seats.
 The Northwest geopolitical zone holds the reputation as the zone with the
highest number of youth candidates in the 2023 election.
 Record shows that there was poor representation of young female candidates
on the list of candidates. The ruling party APC (9) and the opposition party
PDP (5) has the lowest number of young female candidates in the 2023 general
election.
 Decline of youth participation in the 2023 election can be attributed to
excessive cost of nomination forms, commercializing of the party primaries
and the substitution of candidates which limits fair participation, and the
reduction in the number of political parties due to INEC’s deregistration of
some political parties which reduced the number of candidates in the ballot.
 Young people are perceived as inexperienced and ill-prepared for public
leadership hence the limits placed on youth participation in politics.
 Political financing limits the fair completion and political space for the rich
only.
 North West has the largest representation of young male candidates and South
East has the lowest.

3
https://www.yiaga.org/youth-candidacy-nigerias-2023-elections
  South West has the largest representation of female young candidates, North
Central and North East have the least.

Violence against Youths in the 2023 Election;

The Electoral Hub has condemned the violence and irregularities that married the
2023 general election. Some of these violence against youths include:
1. In Cross River state, an Adhoc staff of INEC, Miss Glory Effiom Essien was
hit by a stray bullet after some gunmen opened fire while she was in a boat
heading to Bakassi for election duty.
2. The February 25th Presidential Elections ended up in violence in most parts of
Rivers State, as angry youths allegedly protesting against attempts to
manipulate the results of the presidential election which led to sporadic
shootings and vandalization of properties and vehicles of some youths.
3. In Aguda, Surulere, Lagos, a woman, Mrs Jennifer Efedi was stabbed on her
face by thugs who disrupted the voting process.
4. Many youths were suppressed and intimidated in many polling units in Lagos,
Rivers and Imo State.

PWDs Participation in the 2023 Election.

There are reportedly 30 million Nigerians living with some form of disability which
include visual impairment, hearing impairment, physical impairment, intellectual
impairment, and communication impairment. To encourage inclusion, political parties
are to to reserve certain positions for PWDs, at least at the ward level, to motivate
them as they have the numbers in the country. Equal inclusion and participation of
PWDs in political party agendas are integral to the growth and development of
democracy in Nigeria.
INEC published 36 candidates that are Persons With Disabilities who ran for the 2023
general elections across eight political parties. According the PDP party, they have a
senator who is PWD, an NWC member who is a PWD, a state assembly member and
the governorship candidate of Niger State, Alhaji Isah Liman Kantigi, as PWDs. Also
among the young candidates, 7 individuals belong to persons living with disabilities in
the 2023 election. One of the challenges being faced by People with Disabilities
include marginalization.
However, during the voting exercise, priority voting were given to PWDs also and
some were assisted during voting proper especially the visually and physically
impaired persons. For example, in PU 026, warfare quarters, Makurdi, Benue State, 2
physically impaired persons were given priority voting. In PU 003, Nadadaruwa
Abdukadir Primary School, Jama’are D in Bauchi state, PWDs and the elderly women
were assisted during voting.
The 2023 general election had no violence targeted at PWDs. There were no
intimidation or suppression jared towards them. Although many suffered general
violence of dispersing of voters by thugs at different polling units.
The Electoral Hub also observed as it was reported that INEC made no provision for
assertive tools for PWDs during voting which resulted to some PWDs not voting in
secrecy as required. Another observation is that none of the 36 persons with disability
contesting for positions in the 2023 election were elected.

Recommendations;
1. INEC should extend timeframes for voting from the scheduled 8:30am -
2:00pm to an extension of 5:00pm to encourage more voter participation
especially women and youths.
2. There should be a collaboration with traditional rulers and religious leaders to
encourage the participation of more female in politics and electorates to
exercise their franchise at subsequent elections.
3. To secure electoral victory for youth candidates, political parties should
provide technical, financial and logistics support to young male and female
candidates during the campaigns.
4. Media organize should prioritize coverage of Women, youth and PWD
candidates to provide visibility for and improve public perception of them.
5. High cost of election should be cut down especially the nomination forms to
encourage women and youth participation in electoral activities.
6. INEC should improve their administrative body and take into considerations
assistive devices for PWDs and improve on how to curb violence on election
day.