THE honeymoon seems to be over for female candidates in the South East. Contrary to popular expectations that a female governorship candidate could emerge on one of the strong political platforms, what came out was a competition of  female running mates. 

    Executive Director of Women’s Aid Collective, (WACOL) women’s rights and advocacy non-governmental organisation, Dr. Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, had advocated twining to raise the profile of women in politics. However, the few governorship running mates that appeared on the scene in Enugu and Abia states do not reflect tacit observance or accommodation of Ezeilo’s averments. But the interesting thing is that more women are showing up for elective legislative positions. 

EBONYI

In Ebonyi, for instance, Mrs. Elizabeth Ojiugu Adol-Awam would be on the ballot for the Ohaukwu/Ebonyi Federal Constituency on the All Progressives Congress (APC). Princess Adol-Awam is not new to electoral contests, having contested for the House of Representatives seat under the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and for the chairmanship of Ebonyi local government, where her husband, Dr. Sunday Adol-Awam once held fort. She shows some promise, more so when she is being backed by her husband’s political machinery. She also has Chukwuma Nwazunku of PDP and Barrister Bede Nwali of the wave-making Labour Party (LP) to contend with. 

    For Izzi/Abakaliki Federal Constituency, the stillbirth former Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mrs. Helen Nwaobashi of LP, would be slugging it out with Sylvester Ogba, a two-term PDP member of the House of Representatives, as well as the charismatic Barrister Uchenna Nshii of the APC. Sandwiched between these two formidable challengers, it is left to be seen whether Nwaobashi could be catapulted by the growing popularity and acceptability of LP in the state. 

    In the House of Assembly, two of the members Mrs. Mabel Aleke and Princess Lillian Igwe, are currently seeking second term under the LP, after great betrayal in PDP. While Dr. Sam Egwu’s influence is expected to affect the chances of Aleke for the Ohaukwu South State Constituency, Igwe is faced with a political intrigue playing out in her Ivo constituency. It is not clear whether the APGA candidate, Mr. Matthew Nwokocha, has the support of the political godfather of the constituency, Chief James Aroh Nweke, who is contesting the Ohaozara/Onicha/Ivo Federal Constituency seat. But coming from the same Ishiagu community as Nweke, Igwe would definitely fall back on the help of God and her constituents at the election. 

    A lawyer by profession, Princess Igwe, who hails from Rivers State, is married to an Akaeze man. Akaeze and Ishiagu make up the state constituency; Ishiagu has more voting strength.

ABIA

SENATOR Nkechi Nwogu’s ambition to become the first woman governor of Abia State ended in anti-climax as the PDP primaries proved too hot for her to handle. But what could turn out a sort of consolation prize by way of a female Deputy Governor seems to be in the offing. Things are looking pretty good for both Mr. Alex Otti and his female running mate, Mrs. Uche Eme-Uche, on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). The mood in Abia State currently is that if the election holds today, Otti and Eme-Uche would win the governorship. Well-spoken Nnenna Ukeje of the House of Representatives, who is battling for her return to the Green Chamber, is not finding things easy as anti-PDP sentiment sweeps across the state. 

IMO

It could be double tragedy for Imo State, because, while there would be no woman on the ballot as running mate to any of the governorship candidates of the major parties, no woman would represent the state at the Senate. Senator Chris Anyanwu was the only female senator. Her decision to seek the governorship ticket on PDP made her yield her position to the men. 

Regrettably, a Senatorial candidate for Orlu Senatorial District, Miss Eudora Igwe, who would have slugged it out with Senator Hope Uzodinma of the PDP, died on the same day her name was submitted to INEC by her party, APGA. Before her decision to progress to the Senate, Miss Igwe was a serving member of the State House of Assembly. 

ANAMBRA: Women Making Real Impact

BUT in Anambra State, it is no longer so, thanks to the pioneering role of great politicians like Senator Joy Emordi. Presently, Ms Stella Adaeze Oduah and Iyom Uche Ekwunife are tangling with the men over their candidacy for Senate seats on the platform of the PDP. In Anambra Central Senatorial zone, where Ekwunife is battling her friend, Senator Annie Okonkwo, for the ticket, she would be confronted by Sir. Victor Umeh and Senator (Dr.) Chris Nwabueze Ngige, if she clinches the PDP ticket. 

  However, Annie Okonkwo appears to be in firm control of the ticket and looking good to stand against Umeh and incumbent Ngige.

   For Oduah, who displaced Senator Margery Okadigbo for the PDP ticket for Anambra North Senatorial zone, it is left to be seen how she would outwit Prince John Emeka, who was announced by INEC as the PDP candidate. Even if Oduah does not ultimately appear on the ballot, she would be consoled by the fact that her fellow woman and Speaker of Anambra House of Assembly, Princess Chinwe Clara Nwaebili, is flying the flag of APGA for the Ogbaru/Onitsha South Federal Constituency.

     Having supplanted Hon. Afam Ogene, for the APGA ticket, Nwaebili would still contend with Ogene, who crossed over to the APC, for the main election. 

ENUGU

MRS. Juliet Ibekaku, Deputy Governorship candidate of the APC in Enugu State is a political neophyte. In fact, emerging Chief Okey Ezea’s running mate in the February gubernatorial election is her first major entry into murky political waters.

   An active member of the civil society, her newness in the country’s political scene does not mean that she has not run elective position before. She had actually run election as a students’ union leader and a member of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

    She has consulted for various law enforcement agencies in Nigeria on issues ranging from anti-bribery, anti-corruption, anti-money laundering as well as financial intelligence among others. She is an advocate for the strengthening of women’s rights, human rights and governance institutions in Nigeria.

   The Egede Udi Local Government council-born mother of two, disclosed in a recent interview: “Here, we are talking of how to ensure that everybody in Enugu is represented. What I see is defining those power dynamics and making sure every interest is catered for.” For the women folk, she said: “I am deeply involved in women rights and working with women is something I have done almost all my life. I want to promote women and their capability to participate in political, social and economic agendas.

    Mrs. Cecelia Ezilo, the Deputy Governorship candidate of the PDP in Enugu is currently one of the four women members of the State House of Assembly. She represents the Ezeagu constituency.

   She came into political limelight in 2011, when, under he PDP, she contested and won the House of Assembly election in the state. She became the Deputy Chief Whip of the House and has, for over three years led the House committee on Judiciary, Public Petitions, Ethics and Privilege.

   Married to a former Commissioner of Works during the Jim Nwobodo administration and former traditional ruler in Ezeagu, Late Malachy Ezeilo, she is said to have brought her friendly disposition to bear in the discharge of her legislative duties. Described as calm and gentle, Mrs. Ezeilo worked as a broadcaster with the State Radio and Television Broadcasting House before joining politics.

    In one of the campaigns, Ezeilo stated that empowering women to be able to stand elections in the state should be of paramount interest, stressing it was only the tonic that could balance political equation

in a democracy.

     Ezeilo is quoted as saying that dearth of women in politics was a serious missing link in politics of the country, stressing that coming on board as the first elected Deputy governor of the state will use her position if elected to ensure that more women are given opportunity to participate in politics.

  It is believed that the near backward position of women in Enugu State could witness a major turnaround, should she be given opportunity to serve as the number two citizen of the state.

  No matter what happens, whether the election holds as scheduled or is put forward, in the end it would be clear that there was no easy road for the womenfolk to elective positions in the South East.