HURDLES TO WOMEN POLITICAL PARTICIPATION AND ADVANCEMENT IN NIGERIA: THE LEGAL LEEWAY

Abstract

A number of quandaries stand in the way of any well-meaning discourse on the position of women in the contemporary Nigerian politics. This study focused on ‘Hurdles to Women Political Participation and Advancement in Nigeria: The Legal Leeway’. The specific objectives were to critically examine the impediments to women political participation and advancements in Nigeria, to assess the obnoxious practices backed by law which encourage domestic violence and deter women from self-actualization in politics, and to make some recommendations. These also defined the scope and limitation of the study. The research design and methodology was doctrinal methodology, using analytical and descriptive approaches. The main sources of data collection were various legal documents and materials, both from the library and internet. For the summary of findings, it was submitted in line with observation of the findings that the impediments to women political participation and advancements in Nigeria should be faced squarely, and that the obnoxious practices backed by law which encourage domestic violence and deter women from self-actualization in politics are really cankerworms that should be dealt with. Recommendations followed that obnoxious legislation, judicial decisions reached per incuriam, and customary law repugnant to natural justice should be manifestly jettisoned and a new course of action and approach be taken to effectively combat women’s challenges in politics and practically integrate them accordingly. It was concluded that women on their own should play their roles with all sincerity of purpose and they should be able to give good and qualitative leadership when called upon to take positions of power just like they are expected to do in the home front.