Gender Representation and Political Participation in Nigeria: Appraising the Role of Women in Policy Making

This study examined the gender representation and political participation in Nigeria: appraising the role of women in policy making. This study formulated three (3) research questions, objectives of the study (specific and broad) and basic assumptions). This study used the thematic style of literature review to look into past and present works of scholars. By its methodology, this study is purely quantitative. This is because it generated its data from the field through the use of questionnaire. This study revealed that majority of the respondents that participated in the survey were conversant with women in governance in Nigerian politics. By extension, it became clear that they are aware of the impact of previous administrations on women participation in governance in Nigerian politics. Going further, it was revealed in this study that between 1999-2015, women were given adequate opportunity to participate in governance and equal level ground with men in politics. This was seen in the likes of Okonjo Iweala, Oby Ezekwesili, Dora Akunyili, Pauline Tallen, Helen Esuene, Adenike Grange, among others who at the time were instrumental to the success of the Obasanjo civilian administration. Hence, these women were significant in formulation and enactment of laws which impacted on governance during the Olusegun Obasanjo-Goodluck Jonathan Administrations. Furthermore, this study discovered on a sad note that between 2015 till 2023 women have not been given the chance to actively involved in any political position. This is as the affirmative action was only words of mouth with no action. Therefore, it became glaring that the male dominating nature and character of the Nigerian politics accounts for the gender discrimination in Nigeria. On trying to bring to the public the factors serving as a clog in the wheel of women political participation in Nigeria, this study discovered that the capital intensive nature of politics and expensive party ticket is one of the reasons why women are not participant in governance in Nigeria. This was so obvious in the cost of party tickets among the major political parties in 2015, 2019 and 2023 general elections. Also, this study notes that due to the rise in political assassination, it becomes a critical factor that discourages women participation in governance in Nigeria. Therefore, this makes women to conceive politics as a dirty game. This study in trying to address the debate between men and women in productivity in governance and politics in Nigeria, it was deduced from the field that women are not more productive in governance than their male counterparts in any political setting. This finding becomes obvious that there is a serious bias against women when it comes to productivity. Based on these findings, this study made some recommendations.