ElectHER Unveils Agender35 Citizens Fund to Support up to 35 Women Running in 2023 General Election

Ahead of the 2023 general election, which is less than 10 months away and the official launch of the Agender35 Campaign in February 2021, ElectHER has unveiled its official public crowdfund. It seeks to raise up to $5 million by December 2022. 

As noted in a press release, the Founder and CEO, Ibijoke Faborode, said the fund is a contribution to the larger goal of mobilising up to $10 million for the Agender35 campaign ahead of the 2023 elections.

“This fund is inspired by the role the Office of the Citizens played through crowdfunding and resource mobilisation as well as the role this demography has played in sustaining most of the powerful movements in the world. 

“I am delighted with the rising social consciousness amongst Nigerians especially increased understanding that the highest stakeholders crucial to sustainable democracy are the people, and a nation that does not prioritise equity in decision making, especially at the political governance level, is setting itself up for failure,” says Ibijoke. 

Faborode, however, hinted that the elections in Nigeria are capital intensive, saying that if they are serious about achieving better outcomes in 2023, We must empower female candidates financially. 

“I am counting on Nigerians at home and in the diaspora to make the right decision and contribute towards nation-building”.

Speaking also, the Head of Communications at ElectHER, Aminat Sule, remarked that funds mobilised for Agender35 would provide various levels of support at both pre-primaries and candidacy stages   for the selected women. 

Although not an exhaustive list, the funds and resources put together will further contribute to campaign strategy support, branding, communications and visibility support, transportation and logistics support, private security support, human resources support, campaigns, critical stakeholder engagement, and other need-based support.

“Later this week, we will also be publishing Call for Volunteers interested in supporting these candidates and unveiling our Advisory Council Members – a group of outstanding individuals who will offer advisory support, and most importantly, ensure accountability at the highest level.

According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), only 13 per cent of 24,353 candidates who ran for varied positions in the 2019 elections were women. 

With this, ElectHer confirmed that women constitute less than five per cent of the total number of legislators in the National Assembly. 

The implication, it highlighted, of this lack of equity in socio-economic decision making has historically affected the growth and development of Nigeria.