Top left – Ireti Heebah Kingibe; Bottom left – Ipalibo Harry Banigo; Right – Idiat Oluranti Adebule
While women make up 49% of Nigeria’s population, their representation in politics and governance doesn’t quite match. There were 44 million women registered to vote in the past general election (out of 93 million total), but only 6.7% of women hold positions in governance. In an effort to create awareness on these numbers and ahead of the Nigerian general elections in February, BellaNaija, in collaboration with UN Women and the Government of Canada, launched the Women in Politics and Governance Campaign to highlight and propel the participation of women in politics in Nigeria. Multiple discussions were held across social platforms and speakers from different fields were invited to bolster the conversations.
Of the record number of 1553 women who contested for positions in the concluded elections, 72 emerged at the federal and state levels. However, the positive result from this year witnessed a new form of encouragement for women to participate in governance; a woman contested to become the president and a shot at Nigeria having its first female governor almost occurred. It’s one step at a time.
Here is a list of the elected women leaders in the just concluded election:
Out of the 72 women that emerged, 7 of them were elected as deputy governors; 17 were elected to the National Assembly – 3 in the Senate and 14 in the House of Representatives. 48 were elected to the various State Houses of Assembly.
Federal
Senators
The three elected female senators are Ipalibo Harry Banigo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who won the West senatorial district of Rivers; Ireti Heebah Kingibe of the Labour Party (LP) who won the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) seat and Idiat Oluranti Adebule of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who won the Lagos West senatorial seat.
House of Representatives
Others who clinched seats at the House of Representatives are Nnabuife Chinwe Clara of the Young Progressive Party (YPP), who won the Orumba North/Orumba South federal constituency of Anambra State; Orogbu Obiageli of the Labour Party (LP) who won the Awka North/Awka South federal constituency; Gwacham Maureen Chime of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) who won the Oyi/Ayamelum federal constituency of Anambra; Regina Akume of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who won the Gboko/Tarka federal constituency of Benue; Ibori-Suenu Erhiatake of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) who won Ethiope East/Ethiope West constituency of Delta State; Fatima Talba of APC won Nangre/Potiskum constituency of Yobe State.
Also, Onuh Onyeche Blessing of the APC won the Otukpo/Ohimini constituency of Benue State; Zainab Gimba of the APC won the Bama/Ngala/Kala-Balge constituency of Borno State; Beni Butmak Lar of the PDP won Lantang North/Lantang South constituency of Plateau State; Goodhead Boma of the PDP won Akuku Toru/Asari Toru constituency of Rivers State; Khadija Bukar Abba Ibrahim of the APC, who won Damaturu/Gujba/Gulani/Tarmuwa constituency of Yobe State; Onuoha Miriam Odinaka of the APC won Isiala Mbano/Okigwe/Onuimo constituency of Imo State; Adewunmi Ariyomi Onanuga of the APC won Ikenne/Shagamu/Remo North constituency of Ogun State.
State
Deputy Governors
Seven states have female representatives as their deputy governors. They include Hadiza Balarabe of All Progressives Congress in Kaduna State; Josephine Piyo of People’s Democratic Party in Plateau State; Dr Akon Eyakenyi of People’s Democratic Party in Akwa Ibom; Dr Ngozi Nma Odu of People’s Democratic Party in Rivers; Engr Noimot Salako Oyedele of All Progressives Congress in Ogun; Patricia Obila of All Progressives Congress in Ebonyi and Professor Kaletapwa Farauta of People’s Democratic Party in Adamawa.
House of Assembly
In states, a total of 48 women made it to the various state houses of assembly.
Anambra
Mrs Nkechi Ogbuefi of the Labour Party (LP) won the Anaocha constituency in Anambra.
Enugu
In Enugu, Princess Obiajulu Ugwu won the Enugu South Constituency and Hon Jane Ene won the Udi North Constituency.
Bayelsa
Egba Ayibanegiyefa and Mrs Ebizi Ndiomu Brown were elected to represent Yenagoa constituency l and Sagbama constituency lll in Bayelsa.
Benue
In Benue state, the elected lawmakers are Mrs Lami Danladi who won the Ado constituency and Mrs Becky Orpin also under won Gboko-East constituency.
Cross River
Rita Ayim, under the PDP, was elected to represent Ogoja constituency.
Delta
In Delta State, Marilyn Okowa won on the platform of the PDP to represent Ika North/East constituency while Bridget Anyafulu was elected to represent Oshimili South constituency.
Ekiti
Ekiti has a couple of women representatives in the House of Assembly. Mrs Bolaji Egbeyemi Olagbaju was elected to represent Ado constituency 11, while Okuyiga Eyiyato Adeteju won for the Ayekire/Gbonyin constituency. Olowokere Bose Yinka won to represent Efon constituency, while Ogunlade Maria Abimbola was elected to represent Emure constituency. Also, Fakunle Okiemen Iyabo won the Ilejemeje constituency seat, while Abimbola Solanke secured the Moba 1 constituency seat.
Edo
Maria Edeko Omozele is the only female member-elect in the state’s House of Assembly.
Oyo
In Oyo State, out of the 32 seats, only Olajide Olufunke Comforter won Ibadan North 1 constituency and Bisi Oluranti Oyewo Micheal won Ogbomoso North constituency.
Taraba
Taraba State also has two female members-elect out of 24 state assembly seats. Hajiya Batulu Muhammed from Gashaka constituency won under All Progressive Congress (APC), while Borinica Alhassan in the Bali constituency won the election under the PDP.
Nasarawa
In Nasarawa, Hajara Ibrahim was elected under the APC to represent Nasarawa central constituency.
Plateau
Two female lawmakers in Plateau State won the election into the state House of Assembly; Happiness Akawu and Salomi Tanimu won Pengana and Pankshin South constituencies all under the PDP.
Kogi
In Kogi, Mrs Comfort Ojoma Nwuchola and Mrs Omotayo Adeleye-Ishayawon, both APC, won to represent Ibaji and Ijumu constituencies.
Kwara
Like Ekiti, Kwara has a couple of female representatives. Rukayat Shittu, Arinola Lawal, Medinat AbdulRaheem, Aishat Babatunde-Alanamu, and Mariam Aladi were elected to represent Owode/Onire, Ilorin East constituency, Lanwa/Ejidongari Ilorin North-West and Ilorin South constituencies respectively.
Akwa-Ibom
In the state, four women secured seats in the House of Assembly. Selong Precious Akamba, Etim Itorobong Francis, Onofiok Kenim Victor, Ukpatu Selinah Isotuk were elected to represent Urua Offong Oruko, Uruan, Oron/Udung Uko and Ikot Abasi/Eastern Obolo constituencies respectively.
Ogun
In Ogun State, Bolanle Lateefat Ajayi and Bakare Omolola Olanrewaju were elected to represent Egbado South and Ijebu Ode constituencies respectively.
Adamawa
In Adamawa, Kate Raymond Manuno won to represent Demsa constituency under the People’s Democratic Party.
Ondo
In Ondo, Witherspoon Atinuke Morenike, Fayemi Olawunmi Annah, and Ogunlowo Oluwaseun were elected to represent Owo constituency I, Ilaje Constituency and Idanre constituency.
Ebonyi
Mrs Esther Agwu and Chinyere Nwagbaga were elected to represent Ohaukwu North and Ebonyi North East constituencies respectively.
Kaduna
In Kaduna, Mrs Comfort Amwe and Munira Suleiman Tanimu Sanga won Sanga and Lere East constituencies respectively.
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