ElectHER, an organisation that specialises in investing in the inclusion of women in social, economic, and public life across Africa, in conjunction with their partner, the Nigeria Women Trust Fund, had a situation room in the Protea hotel where they concentrated on the numbers of women who participated in the Edo State election.
The Program Manager for ElectHER for Edo State Election, Amina Yaya, said there was good participation of women in the Edo State election, including the elderly and those with disabilities. She stated that their observers were in various local government areas of the state. She said at the end of the day, they'll come up with a comprehensive report of the election, which, according to her, includes the late arrival of the Independent National Electoral Commission's (INEC) materials in some local government areas.
Speaking further, she said they are gender-centric, hence taking a sensitive angle to different issues discussed on the pre-election element, including demography, available data, campaign promises of the candidates, and lots of deficits in terms of gender disseminated data.
Answering questions on some of the factors affecting women seeking political office, Yaya said: lack of interparty democracy, funds needed to finance campaigns, social cultural barriers that have been existing for years and are still in communities till date, including the fact that political offices are men-driven.
She concluded by saying, women-friendly manifestos by political candidates and women holding elective offices are healthy for strengthening women's economic empowerment.