The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Rivers State, Obo Effanga, has advised women to do away with fear if they must take their rightful place in partisan politics in Nigeria.
He also said women must be ready to make themselves “available in places where critical political decisions are taken”.
The REC regretted that women’s family nature had often caused them to rather retire for the day in the evening when their male folk are “gearing up for political meetings”.
Effanga gave the advice while delivering a keynote address at a One Day Workshop on “Increased Participation of Women in Politics in Port Harcourt on Monday.
He also charged the women to “lead the campaign against electoral violence which he said has discouraged women from taking part in politics”
The Rivers REC, while noting that the Independent National Electoral Commission has no role in increasing female participation in party politics, however, said it is the “duty of the electoral umpire to encourage them by ensuring a credible electoral process”.
Women from across the twenty three local government areas of the Rivers state took part in the workshop.