ABSTRACT
Women constitute almost half of the population of Nigeria but they are not well represented in vital decision making organs of government. In Nigeria, there is no legislative framework securing quotas for women in political parties and national elections. This is due to cultural and religious beliefs. The main objective of this research is to assess Christian women involvement in politics in Niger State, Nigeria. Three research questions were formulated. What is the understanding of Christian women participation in politics according to their educational attainment? To what extent do married and single Christian women engage in partisan politics in Niger State? Which political offices do Christian women from orthodox and Pentecostal churches in Niger State contest for? And three null hypotheses There is no significant difference in the understanding of Christian women? involvement in politics according to their educational attainment. There is no significant difference in the extent to which single and married Christian women engage in partisan politics in Niger State. There is no significant difference in the number of political offices Christian women? from orthodox and Pentecostal churches in Niger State contest for. Were stated and tested. The population of this study comprised all Christian women in Niger State. Survey research design was used for the study. Using the multi-stage sampling technique, three (3) local government areas were sampled from each of the three (3) senatorial zones of the state. Seven hundred (700) Christian women were sampled. A modified questionnaire was used as an instrument for data collection and statistical package for social science (SPSS) was used to analyze the data. Frequencies and percentages were used for bio-data variables. Frequencies mean and standard deviation were used to answer research questions. Inferential statistics were used for the test of the hypotheses. Specifically, the one-way analysis of variance was used for hypothesis 1, while the independent t-test was used for hypothesis II. Hypothesis III was tested with chi-square procedure. All hypotheses were tested at 0.05 alpha level of significance. From the result of this study, educational attainments have a significant role in the level of Christian women involment in politics in Niger State. Marital status has no major role in the level of Christian women participation in partisan politics in Niger State. The choice of elective political offices by Christian women in Niger State is not influenced by their church denominations. Based on this, it is recommended that the church should encourage the education of women not only to acquire the basic education but to attain higher level of education as the basis for political participation. Women should be encouraged to participate in politics irrespective of their marital status. All constraints on the part of participation should be eliminated through church encouragement. Women should also be encouraged to vie for elective positions both at state and national levels.