Edo Assembly race: Men account for 90% of candidates

Men account for more than 90 per cent of candidates seeking election to the Edo State House of Assembly, while women constitute less than 10 per cent, highlighting a significant gender imbalance in the state’s legislative contest.

An analysis of the final list released by the Independent National Electoral Commission on Saturday in Benin shows that 164 candidates will contest in the election.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that of these candidates, 148 are men, representing 90.24 per cent, while only 16 are women, accounting for 9.76 per cent

These figures translate to an approximate male-to-female ratio of 9:1, underscoring the limited presence of women among those seeking to represent 24 constituencies in the state legislature.

The disparity raises questions about women’s access to elective office, the commitment of political parties to inclusive representation, and the persistent barriers confronting female aspirants in Nigeria’s political system.

Among the female candidates on the list are Memo Akerele (30) of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), contesting in Akoko Edo I; Elizabeth Dauda (51) of the Labour Party (LP), Akoko Edo II; and Negbedion Shirley (33) of the SDP, Esan North East I.

Others include Maria Edeko (63) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Esan North East II; Mercy Bello (37) of the African Action Congress (AAC), Etsako West I; and Salamatu Izuagie (63) of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), also in Etsako West I.

Egor Constituency has several female candidates on the list, including Bukky Ayetan (30) of the Action Democratic Party (ADP); Bridget Obakpolor (54) of the LP; Natasha Osawaru (32) of the National Democratic Congress (NDC); and Imuetinyan Bright (45) of the SDP.

Other women include Osarenkhoe Erhunmwunse and Tracy Ogiemwonyi in Ikpoba-Okha Constituency; Patience Edobor and Helen Omorogbe in Orhionmwon Constituency 1; Uyigue Efosa in Ovia North East Constituency I; and Omosede Adenomo in Ovia South West Constituency.

In spite of these individual candidacies, the figures show that women remain a small minority in the race, potentially limiting their representation in the next Assembly if the imbalance is reflected in the election results.

Beyond gender, the candidate list features aspirants from different age groups, ranging from young contenders to candidates in their sixties.

Idriss Idriss of the SDP, contesting in Etsako West Constituency 11 at 26, is the youngest candidate on the list.

Other young aspirants include Johnson Ipeshi of the SDP in Akoko Edo Constituency II, aged 28; Odia Godwin of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), Esan South East Constituency, aged 29; and Edobor Patience of the ADP, Orhionmwon Constituency 1, also aged 29.

NAN observes that their participation reflects the interest of younger Nigerians in elective politics, following years of advocacy for greater youth inclusion, including the Not Too Young To Run movement.

At the other end of the age spectrum, older candidates are also seeking legislative seats.

Nosakhare Igbinedion of the Action Peoples Party (APP), contesting in Orhionmwon Constituency 11, is 66, while Omorogbe Helen of the APP, Orhionmwon Constituency 1, is 65.

Meanwhile, the candidate list features a broad range of political parties, including the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), alongside the SDP, LP, ADC, ADP, NDC, APP, YPP, AAC, Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Action Alliance (AA) and National Rescue Movement (NRM).

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The range of parties reflects participation beyond the country’s two dominant political platforms.

On educational background, the candidates’ qualifications range from basic school-leaving certificates and the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination to university degrees, postgraduate qualifications and professional credentials.

The list includes BSc, BEd, BEng, HND, LLB, MSc and MBA qualifications. Oyairo John Nosakhare, listed under the SDP in Orhionmwon constituency, is identified as holding a PhD.

The Persons with Disabilities (PWD) column records “None” for every candidate on the list, indicating that no PWD would contest in the state Assembly election.