Marginalization of Women by Women in the Contest for Elective Positions in Nigeria: A Reconstruction Paradigm

Abstract

This paper analyzes women marginalization of womenfolk in the contest for elective positions in Nigeria with emphasis on Nigeria general elections. It exemplifies the comparative trend since the return of democratic elections in 1999. This comes from the backdrop of raging agitations, campaigns, protests and persistent clamours to grant women soft-landing in electoral contests with the accompanying belief that the clamour would play key roles in steering their political participation. The study observes persistent decline in women representation in elective positions and analyzes the identified hindrances to their elective ambitions. The data are mainly from secondary source. In the same vein, structural functional theoretical framework and content analysis models were adopted to explain the variables and in a great measure, the problems women usually encounter in their electoral bids. This has always been blamed on socio-cultural, religious and economic inhibitions, insensitivity or tacit conspiracy against women by men dominated political gladiators; bad political environment that promotes violence and insecurity. While all these factors are significant, the problem is more on the character of the womenfolk. While the study notes that women have benefited virtually nothing from party waivers, it also holds a strong view that prevalence of envy and jealousy among womenfolk affects the elective ambition of women aspirants/candidates. This dimension has not been interrogated while examining women marginalization in politics. It recommends the restructuring of the political system and clearly providing for sharing or rotating of elective offices between men and women to end marginalization. With this arrangement, envy and jealousy will become internal to women without option for men to usurp the loophole, which has always resulted from feminine related cold war.