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Political Party Participation and the Question of Alienation of Women and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Nigeria: Implication for the Democratic Process
Abstract
The study investigated the extent of inclusiveness of women and Persons with disabilities
(PWDs) in political party participation in Nigeria. It examined whether women and PWDs
have equal opportunities in the political parties to take part in party planning and campaign
activities, contest party leadership positions, get nominated for political party primary
elections, and the implications to democratic progress. The low level of participation of
women and PWDs reported by media and conventions of both local and international bodies
necessitated the study. The paper posited that the level of participation of women and PWDs
in political party activities in Nigeria is low and that the low level is alienation. The
conceptual and theoretical framework of alienation was used in the analysis of the study
phenomena, systematically. The study adopted the survey design in the collection of data. The
Benin City Metropolis was the study area. Findings from the study show that the degree of
opportunities for participation in political parties’ activities by women and PWDs is low, that
these groups of persons are not encouraged by the various political parties but excluded from
participating in sensitive and critical leadership and elective activities by the lack of
encouragement and acceptance of these groups by party leaders and members which amount
to alienation. The study states that the lack of acceptance and equal opportunities for women
and PWDs in political party participation negates international and national laws and the
concept of democratic development. Therefore, the government should use the appropriate
agencies to monitor the inclusiveness of underrepresented groups in political party activities;
members of the political parties are to be sensitized to adhere to the democratic principles to
ensure fairness, equity, respect for fundamental rights of persons and unbridled participation
of all in the democratic project among others.
