The 12th and 13th of December 2022 are designated dates for two workshops for female candidates running in the Nigerian elections of 2023.
The International Press Centre (IPC), Lagos, Nigeria’s implementing partner, and the Institute for Media and Society (IMS) are facilitating the trainings as part of the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria-Phase II (EUSDGN II) project’s component 4 (Support to media).
The EU-funded program, which is concurrently taking place in Osogbo and Port-Harcourt, will educate 60 applicants from southern Nigeria on advanced strategic communication and media engagement, as well as how to use traditional and online/social media during political processes and campaigns.
IPC’s Executive Director, Mr. Lanre Arogundade, stated in a statement: “Nigeria has one of the lowest rates of female political representation in the continent, with a 4.1% representation in the parliament. It is for this reason that strategic workshops like these are required to empower women in politics, which by nature encourages credible elections.
The Executive Director reaffirmed that IPC is essentially building on the successes of the first phase of the EU-SDGN project, in which ten women who took part in the IPC workshops for female politicians to enhance their capacity were elected to political posts across the Nation.
“The workshop will also draw from the lessons learnt from subsequent engagement with the elected female politicians in terms of implementing post-election activities and capacity support”. Mr. Arogundade added.
The African Centre for Media, Governance, and Peacebuilding’s Director of Programs, Mr. Sunny Dada, Mrs. Uduak Obeten, and Mr. Samuel Egbala, of The Nigerian Chronicle in Calabar and Vice President, East, Nigerian Guild of Editors, will discuss a variety of topics with female candidates, such as “Female candidates: building self-confidence and maximizing the potentials of the broadcast media.”
Resource speakers Jadesola Ajibola, the NAWOJ Chairperson, and Monday Ashibogwu, the Managing Editor of Quick News, will deliver on related themes in Osogbo.
IPC will extend the effort to female applicants in the northern states in upcoming trainings.
Making sure that “The Media, including New and Social Media, offers fair, accurate, ethical and inclusive coverage of the Electoral Process” is a stated goal of the EU-funded program.