The Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Rivers State, has asked women not to bycot the gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections because of their disappointment with INEC in the just concluded Presidential and National Assembly elections.
The association gave the charge in a statement signed by its Chairperson, Susan Serekara-Nwikhana and Secretary Ngozi Anosike to commemorate this year’s International Women’s Day celebration.
NAWOJ noted with dismay the unsatisfactory performance of INEC during the Presidential and National Assembly elections on Saturday, February 25. It however appealed to the women not to be deterred and still come out for the March 11 Governorship and Housel of Assemble election.
The association described women as dogged and resilient, pointing out that despite the troubles associated with scarcity of fuel and cash the country they still outnumbered the men in most polling units, regretting that INEC failed in its responsibility to carry out a credible electoral exercise.
The association further commended the women for not taking their anger and disappointment to the streets and enjoined them to use March 11 election as an opportunity to assert themselves in the country’s electoral process.
NAWOJ reminded women that not participating in the Gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections will amount to disefranchising themselves as well as denying their candidates the opportunity to win their respective positions.
The women journalists said this year’s International Women’s Day celebration should serve as a wakeup call for all women to team up in unity and in one accord to ensure that competent and gender sensitive people are voted into power.
“With your active participation, you can decide who leads you in the next 4 years, the time to get the change you want politically is now, the time to vote the candidates of your choice is now”.
They further noted that when women are part of the electoral processes, growth and development are guaranteed, stressing that one of the surest ways women can get the change they earnestly desire is by exercising their civic responsibilities .
The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day celebration is #EmbraceEquity.
