Female contestants in the 2019 general elections in Kaduna State have called on the media to promote gender equality and good governance in their reportage.
Some of the candidates, who spoke at a one-day seminar facilitated by Connecting Gender (COGEN) and the National Democratic Institute, stressed that their electioneering would reach the grassroots with media support.
Mrs. Patience Bako, a Mega Party candidate for the State House of Assembly, urged the media to give adequate publicity to their campaign activities as 2019 elections.
Bako said women needed to participate fully in nation’s democracy to contribute their quota in ensuring gender equality and good governance.
She expressed dismay at failure of majority of women to partake in partisan politics, pointing out the need for women to summon courage and canvass for votes to defeat their male counterparts in polls.
On her part, Mrs Rukayya Aliyu Ladan, who is the running mate to Mass Movement of Nigeria (MMN ) Governorship Candidate in the state, said the electorate needed to be fully sensitised, through the media, to the choice of female candidates.
According to her, voting for female candidates in the forthcoming elections will fast track national development, emphasising that inclusiveness would also boost the nation’s democracy.
Earlier, Ngukwase Surma, CONGEN Executive Director, said the media dialogue with the female politicians was convened to close the gaps between the female politicians and the media professionals in the state.
Surma said women needed more political space and support for them to join hands in boosting the country’s socio-economic pace.
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She urged female politicians to summon courage in articulating their positions and programmes, to win over the electorate, using various media platforms.
The executive director urged the female contestants to seek more support from both conventional and social media platforms for wider publicity during their electioneering.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 15 women are among candidates flying the flags of 36 political parties featuring in the 2019 polls in the state.
Among the contestants is a governorship candidate, Mrs Fatima Muhammad on the platform of Restoration Party.
Two deputy governorship candidates are also running under the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Massive Movement of Nigeria (MMN) Party.
Others are in the race for the 16 seats in the House of Representatives.
NAN reports that 10 other women are among the candidates for the 34 seats in the Kaduna State House of Assembly. (NAN)
