By Justina Auta
Women in FCT have pledged to reject voter inducement, elect credible candidates and uphold electoral integrity as the country prepares for the 2027 general elections.
They made the commitment at a community outreach in Karonmajigi District, Abuja Municipal Area Council, Abuja, on Wednesday.
The outreach was organised by Open Mind Young Voices Network (OMYV), with support from Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES), to train youths on social democracy, national consciousness and active citizenship in preparation.
The community Women Leader, Mrs Zainab Musa, noted the growing determination among women to resist vote buying and other practices that undermined democratic processes.
She said the initiative had further revealed to them the effects of collecting gift items from candidates vying for various, irrespective of their credibility.
“Enough is enough, we will reject any gift items that will be used to lure us vote for any candidate that is not credible.
” We have representatives from various groups, religion, tribes and organisations present and I believe that they will cascade lessons learnt to those that are not here,” she said.
According to her, she will use her position to mobile women to ensure that they register, get their Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) and vote during elections.
” Some people feel their vote doesn’t count due to past election results outcomes, but we are trying to rebuild their confidence and trust in the system and encourage them vote during elections,” she said.
Hajiya Hassana Usman, a resident and business woman, said, “usually wrappers, maggie, salt, detergents and even money are shared to encourage us to vote for a particular candidate.
“However, with this training, we now know that the money used in buying these gift items will mostly be recovered by the candidates when he or she wins the election, thereby neglecting constituency projects.
“So this time around, no more vote buying” she said.
On her part, Mrs Caroline Katsina, a public servant in the community, said the exercise had reversed her mindset about voter apathy, her civic responsibilities and her rights as a citizen to participate in electoral processes.
“It will no longer be the usual vote buying, divide, rule and other tactics used by politicians to ensure they are voted into office.
“We are ready and will vote only credible candidates of our choice that will not only focus on their enrichment, but will execute projects that would develop our country and benefits our children,” she said.
Shadrack Danladi, a development practitioner in democratic governance and youth participation, emphasised that accepting financial or material incentives in exchange for votes weakened governance and deprived communities of credible leadership.
Danladi,also the facilitator encouraged citizens, especially women, to prioritise competence and accountability over short-term gains, noting that their collective voice remains a powerful force in shaping the nation’s political future.
He also highlighted the need for sustained awareness campaigns to empower women to participate actively and responsibly in the electoral process.
Also, Ms Juliana Anosike, Project Manager, FES, stressed that democracy needed active participation despite past doubts, citizens with PVCs should decide, vote confidently, and ensure credible representation through the electoral process.
“Some people do not have that zeal to participate, so this initiative aim to encourage citizens, especially young people to participate in ensuring that Nigeria gets better,” she said.
Also, Blessing Ekwere, Project Team Lead, OMYV, said the exercise was designed to bring civic education to grassroots communities, ensuring participants disseminate the knowledge gained beyond the training programme.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Ekemini Ladejobi
