The Edo State House of Assembly election has highlighted a significant gender imbalance, with men dominating the contest. According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), 164 candidates will contest the election, with 148 being men, representing 90.24%. Only 16 candidates are women, accounting for 9.76%. This translates to an approximate male-to-female ratio of 9:1, underscoring the limited presence of women among those seeking to represent the state's 24 constituencies in the legislature.
The disparity raises questions about women's access to elective office, political parties' commitment to inclusive representation, and the persistent barriers confronting female aspirants in Nigeria's political system. Despite the participation of women, the figures show that they remain a small minority in the race, potentially limiting their representation in the next Assembly if the imbalance is reflected in the election results. The low representation of women in the contest has sparked concerns about the inclusivity of Nigeria's electoral process.
Several female candidates are contesting in various constituencies, including Memo Akerele of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Akoko Edo I, Elizabeth Dauda of the Labour Party (LP) in Akoko Edo II, and Negbedion Shirley of the SDP in Esan North East I. Others include Maria Edeko of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Esan North East II, Mercy Bello of the African Action Congress (AAC) in Etsako West I, and Salamatu Izuagie of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Etsako West I.
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 II 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) in Esan South East Constituency, aged 29; and Patience Edobor of the ADP in Orhionmwon Constituency I, also aged 29.
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 II, is 66, while Helen Omorogbe of the APP in Orhionmwon Constituency I is 65. The range of ages represented in the contest reflects the diversity of the state's population and the varying levels of experience and maturity that candidates bring to the election.
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). The range of parties reflects participation beyond the country's two dominant political platforms, providing voters with a diverse range of options in the election.
In terms of 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.
Key points
- Men account for over 90% of candidates seeking election to the Edo State House of Assembly.
- Women constitute less than 10% of candidates in the Edo Assembly election.
- The low representation of women in the contest has sparked concerns about the inclusivity of Nigeria's electoral process.
