COMMUNIQUE OF THE ONE DAY SEMINAR ON THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN THE ELECTORAL
PROCESS HELD ON 5TH FEBUARY, 2015 AT THE MAIN AUDITORIUM, WOMEN MULTI
PURPOSE CENTRE.
A. Preamble:
One-day stakeholders sensitization seminar with focus on the 2015 General Elections
was organized by the Interfaith Forum of Muslim and Christian Women’s Association
a.k.a. Women Interfaith Council (WIC) at the main auditorium of the Women
Multipurpose Centre on the 5th February, 2015. The seminar had as theme “The Role
of Women in the Electoral Process”. The Seminar was organized in furtherance of the
WICs mission which includes: the putting in place of a functional platform for
interaction amongst the diverse interest groups within the society with the aim of
entrenching peace and peaceful coexistence. The participants at the seminar were
drawn from Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs), and Civil Society Organizations
(CSOs) including Faith Based organizations (FBOs), Community Based Organizations
(CBOs)
and
other
agencies/parastatals)
informed
for
the
Stakeholders
purpose
of
cross
(Media
and
fertilization
of
government
ideas
and
brainstorming on the most proactive strategies to be adapted for women’s active
participation in the upcoming 2015 general elections as well as confronting the
menace of violence that has defined the Nigerian political landscape especially
during elections.
B. Opening Session:
The Seminar commenced at 10: 43 am with opening prayers which were rendered
by two volunteers from the Christian and Muslim faiths. Afterwards, the Special
Guests invited to the Seminar were accorded the necessary recognitions. This was
followed by opening remarks which was made by Revd. Sister Felicia Dunka, the
General Secretary of WIC. She specifically used the opportunity to welcome all the
participants in attendance and encouraged them to make useful contributions in
the course of the meeting. She then prayed that the seminar meets its set objective
so that every participant will feel fulfilled at the end of the day.
C. Objectives:
The specific objectives of the seminar are:

To ascertain what WIC as a peacebuilding organization needs to do for the
purpose of instituting the culture of peace in the national psyche as the 2015
election approaches.

To provide a platform for WIC members to share ideas on how best to
guarantee that neighborhood children’s vulnerability is not manipulated into
their recruitment as thugs during elections.

To articulate a coherent strategy that will culminate in shared engagements
between
women,
Law
Enforcement
Agencies
(LEAs)
and
Electoral
Management bodies that will guarantee a free, fair and credible polls. This
strategic partnership hopes to integrate women as peace-builders into the
electoral process without exposing them to any form of threats, intimidation or
bodily harm.
D. Attendance:
The seminar had in attendance actors from the security sector including the military,
the police, the DSS, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC), the
Federal Road Safety Corps and other Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) like the
Nigerian Prisons, Immigration and Nigerian Customs Services. In addition, there were
in attendance representatives of government’s ministries, departments and
agencies (MDAs). Other equally important stakeholders/participants at the seminar
were drawn from a broad spectrum of civil society organizations (CSOs); Non
Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Faith Based organisations (FBOs) and
Community Based Organizations (CBOs). All these were seamlessly pooled together
from across the diverse class category of the society including the literate and semi
literate women.
E. Goodwill Messages:
Goodwill messages were received from the following strategic stakeholders that
attended the Seminar:
 The representative of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC);
 Representatives from Security Agencies including : the Military, Police,
Department of State Security Services, Immigration, Customs, Prison Services
and National Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC);
 The Bureau for Religious Affairs- Christian Matters;
 Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN);
 The Youth Groups; and
 NGOs / CSOs Present.
F. Technical Session:
The following papers were presented and exhaustively discussed during the
seminar’s technical Session:

The Role of Women in the Electoral Process - Dr. (Mrs) Hannatu Biniyat,
Chairman, KADSIECOM, Kaduna.

Nigeria’s 2015 General Elections: What is at Stake? – Biodun Omole of Aid
Foundation, Kaduna.
G. Observations:

That electoral violence is a major factor causing stagnation of national
economies, each it erupts and Nigeria is not excluded from this;

That Nigerian elections have been mired with major violence as result of
flawed electoral processes;

That
the electorates are currently being disenfranchised by the non
accessibility of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs). This is already proving to be a
sensitive trigger of discontent that could generate conflicts ultimately.

That political parties are responsible for the disadvantaged destinies of
women in the political process. This is in the sense that the ratio of women
representation within the parties’ hierarchies are detrimental to the cause of
women;

That Kaduna state is a major flashpoint and centre that may experience
electoral violence whether before during and after elections;

That politicians through their caustic and hate speeches have proven major
instruments in stirring electoral violence;

That youths as individuals and groups are most susceptible (vulnerable) to
electoral violence;

That youth unemployment is a factor that is breeding violence and violent
conflicts during elections;

That flawed electoral processes are the major factors responsible for
instigating violence during and after elections;

That the weak criminal justice system which ensures that perpetrators of
electoral crimes go unpunished contribute greatly to the fuelling of cycles of
violence;

That women and children are the most vulnerable group each time electoral
related violence erupts;

That the electoral process must be seen to be free, fair and just to all interests
during the process;
H. Recommendations:
 It was recommended that that the Nigerian security operatives must step -up
their duty of arrest and prosecuting any individual or groups that are seen as
instigators of electoral violence;
 It was recommended that the media must desist from instigating electoral
violence through the manipulation of public opinion;
 That the electoral process must integrate gender based perspectives that
should favour the cause of women’s participation in the political process
whether as electorates or as aspirants into political offices;
 It was recommended that women must liberate themselves from their
‘captive status’ in the political process;
 That greater number of women must be employed; whether on permanent or
ad hoc basis by elections management institutions. This will strengthen women
participation in the electoral process.
 It was recommended that the provisions of the Electoral Acts be made known
to the Nigerian public especially with regards the criminal and punitive
aspects of the Act;
 That if electoral violence is to be mitigated, women and youth empowerment
must be integrated into the main thrust of national economic and
development policies of the country;
 It was recommended that women should be law abiding during elections.
 That ‘losers’ in any electoral contest must not take the law into their hands as
there are functional legal instruments platforms for aggrieved candidates to
channel their grievances like the election tribunals that are constituted to
handle petitions from aggrieved contestants;
 It was recommended too that women must come out and mobilize
themselves with a view to choosing the candidates of their choice if women
are to be relevant in the electoral process;
 That law enforcement agencies must be proactive in preempting the likely
indicators that could culminate in electoral violence;
 It was recommended that INEC must ensure that its reputation as an impartial
umpire during elections are not stained nor compromised in any way; and
 It was recommended that women must ensure that they insist on collecting
their PVCs for the purpose of their political empowerment during elections.
I. Other Sessions:
1. The INEC staff that attended the seminar was given ample time to carry out a
Voter Education exercise for the benefit of all the participants particularly, the
women. Question and answer time ensued thereafter. Different brochures
and IECs produced by both WIC and INEC were also distributed to the
participant to further enrich their understanding about the electoral process.
2. The Security Agencies present at the seminar also educated the participants
on the security concerns, dos and don’ts during the electoral process
3. After all the questions and answers have been satisfactorily attended to, and
due to the unfolding and highly tensed political environment in the country in
the run up to the general elections, all the participants agreed to join hands
together in a prayer session for a violent free elections in the country. The
participants believed that with prayers, God can avert any violence during
and after the elections as it has happened in previous elections.
J. Conclusion:
After more than four hours of exhaustive deliberations on the thematic thrust of the
seminar, the highly engaging participants in a commendable manner spoke words
of gratitude to WIC for translating their vision into concrete actions, thus the wisdom
behind the organization of this seminar which they see as very timely. Thereafter
WIC’s General Coordinator, Mrs Comfort Amina Idowu Fearon gave the vote of
thanks. She appreciated the resource persons particularly, the Chairman of the
KADSIECOM, INEC staff and security agencies who graced the event. She also
appreciated other participants including the media, CSOs, FBOs, government’s
agencies and WIC members for their continued patronage and support in helping
WIC to achieve its vision and missions and for their roles towards the success of the
seminar.
Closing: The closing prayer was said by a combination of Christian/Muslim faithful
around 2: 00 PM.
Done this day Thursday February 5th, 2015, Kaduna; Nigeria.
Signed:
Mrs Comfort Idowu Fearon
General Coordinator
WIC