Off-Cycle Elections: Despite inclusion campaigns, only 3 female candidates among 52 contenders

Amidst campaigns for the political inclusion of women in the country, gender parity seems far from reach as unfolding events reveal the dearth of women in Nigeria’s political space.

In today’s governorship elections in Imo, Kogi and Bayelsa states, only three female candidates will be contending for the number one seats with their male counterparts.

In Imo State, no woman made the list of 18 governorship candidates as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Kogi has one female candidate against 17 males, while two women are contesting the election in Bayelsa among 14 men.

Fatima Taiye Suleiman is the only female candidate out of the 18 people contesting the governorship election in Kogi State. Contesting under the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), the 48-year-old Fatima aims to become the first female governor of state.

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A fashion designer and politician from Okene, Fatima is the chairperson of fashion designers in the 21 local government areas, as well as chairlady, Women Initiative International.

Also, Oguara Nengimonyo is one of the two female gubernatorial candidates in today’s election in Bayelsa. Contesting under the umbrella of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Oguara, who is from Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of the state, is not new to the race as she was the Democratic People’s Party’s (DPP) flag-bearer in 2019. Kemelayefa Mercy Ogege flies the flag of the Action Peoples Party (APP) in the election.

At 35, she is the youngest governorship candidate among the 16 contestants.

Kemelayefa, who hails from Sagbama, is the president of the Ijaw Women of Substance Worldwide, a socio-cultural organisation in Nigeria. Prior to the 2023 elections, she was an aspirant for the Bayelsa State House of Assembly.