Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
The National Chairman of the Labour Party, Senator Nenadi Usman, has reiterated the commitment of the Labour Party under her leadership to the pursuit of greater women participation in Nigeria’s political process. This was contained in a statement signed by Ken Eluma Asogwa, National Publicity Secretary, Labour Party
Senator Usman made the pledge on Friday in Abuja while hosting the leadership of the Nigeria League of Women Voters, Kaduna State Chapter, who paid her a courtesy visit. Speaking on behalf of the delegation, the group’s spokesperson, Dr. (Mrs.) Rekiya Shonekan, extolled the virtues and accomplishments of the Labour Party chairman in both politics and governance, and appealed to her to use her new platform to lend stronger support to the group’s advocacy for the Bill seeking Special Seats for women in parliament. The delegation also sought her continued support for women empowerment initiatives and the broader advocacy to make Nigeria’s political space more inclusive for women.
Responding, Senator Usman commended the Nigeria League of Women Voters for its unwavering commitment to the advancement of women’s political rights in Nigeria. She urged the group not to relent in the face of intimidation and the difficult operating environment, stressing that much still needs to be done in the struggle for gender inclusion. She further reminded the delegation that before most Labour Party lawmakers elected in 2023 defected to other political platforms, the party had directed them to support the relevant Bills in the 10th National Assembly.
According to Senator Usman, the Labour Party has remained true to its ideals by not only preaching inclusion but also practising it. She noted that the party produced the first female national chairman of a major political party in Nigeria and currently has women occupying the positions of National Chairman, National Organising Secretary, and National Legal Adviser, a development she described as unprecedented in the country’s political history. She assured the delegation that the Labour Party under her leadership would never waver in its commitment to greater women inclusion in politics.
However, the Labour Party chairman encouraged women not to always wait for special quotas before venturing into politics and taking bold political decisions. Drawing from her personal political journey and accomplishments, she reminded them that she did not wait for any special concession before joining politics. “If I could do it, you too can do it,” she stated.
Speaking emotionally, Senator Usman lamented what she described as the shrinking opportunities for women in governance and politics despite years of advocacy for inclusion. She recalled that during her time in the 7th National Assembly, there were eight female senators, whereas the current 10th Senate has only three women, a decline she described as a major setback to the struggle for gender representation.
The Labour Party National Chairman also charged women to take responsibility for changing the narrative, expressing concern over the tendency of women voters to favour male candidates over female candidates during elections. “Even when statistics show that women voters outnumber men during elections, women candidates are often sidelined by their fellow women at the polls. This trend must stop if we are to make any appreciable progress in our quest for greater women inclusion,” she remarked.
Senator Usman further solicited the prayers and support of the Nigeria League of Women Voters in her new role as Labour Party chairman, noting that her success would inspire more women to break barriers and aspire to leadership positions. She encouraged the group to intensify sensitisation efforts aimed at making women understand that a vote for a woman is a vote for all women, adding that whatever a man can do, a woman can do even better.
She reserved special commendation for Governor Alex Otti, whom she described as a firm believer in the capacity, dependability, and integrity of women. She recalled how Governor Otti stood firmly behind her prior to her emergence in a substantive capacity as chairman of the party. “When I was going to Umuahia for our last convention, I thought I would hand over to a man. I shed tears when Otti insisted that I should remain. He is indeed a true advocate of women inclusion, especially as reflected in the appointments he has made in Abia State,” she said.
Using Governor Otti’s inclusive governance style as a measure of the Labour Party’s commitment to women inclusion, Senator Usman urged the women to mobilise support for the party in forthcoming elections, stressing that only greater electoral victories for the party would help advance their aspirations after the elections. She added that Governor Otti’s performance remains visible evidence of what the party represents.
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