***Decries lips service to affirmative action
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senatorial candidate for Kogi Central in the 2023 general election Barr. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has expressed concern that only two women have so far made it to the senate in the upcoming 10th National Assembly.
As the world celebrates the 2023 International Women’s Day (IWD), she said it is important to take a look at women and their participation in politics, observing that the Nigeria’s 10th Senate will be male dominated.
In her message to Nigerians to mark the International Women’s Day, she urged the Nigerian woman not to fade off but own her space no matter the odds.
According to her, though there is a temporary setback in her victory at the polls, she expressed the confidence that the judiciary will live up to its bidding and deliver justice whereby she will reclaim her mandate
Eight female senators had actually been elected in 2015, but with the loss of Uche Ekwunife to Victor Umeh at the tribunal, the number came down to seven.
The gender constitution of the previous senate was maitained in the 9th senate that was shaped by Oluremi Tinubu (APC, Lagos), Stella Oduah (PDP, Anambra), and Uche Ekwunife (PDP, Anambra). Others are Betty Apiafi (PDP, Rivers), Eyakenyi Akon (PDP, Akwa Ibom), Aishatu Dahiru (APC, Adamawa) and Abiodun Olujimi (APC, Ekiti).
This time around it dipped as the deputy governor of Rivers State, Ipalibo Banigo, was elected the representative for Rivers West Senatorial District under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Kingibe Ireti was also elected the Senator for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) under the Labour Party
They are the only two female voices out of 109
The unfolding scenario Natasha said is raising concerns about the lip service paid to affirmative action as well as gender and equal opportunity in the West African country.
According to her,
“As we celebrate international women’s Day, it should be noted that only 2 women made it to the 10th senate.
“No doubt, we shall get our mandate back by God’s grace, but only 3 is shameful for our democracy, for our gender equity and representation.”
A statement by the Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan Campaign Organization had since rejected the results and called on INEC to review the results and declare her as the rightful winner of the 2023 Kogi Central Senatorial elections
“This is the only act that will ensure justice is done for the people of Kogi Central senatorial district.
According to her, the process was dogged by manipulations of the doctoring of figures, cancellation of polling units where she won, and invasion of many polling units by armed thugs loyal to APC.
She had also written to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmoud Yakubu, demanding for a review of the declaration and return of candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abubakar Ohere as winner of the February 25 senatorial election.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, in the letter dated March 1, 2023, said her request is brought pursuant to Section 65 of the Electoral Act, 2022.
She claimed that the Returning Officer for the Senatorial District “wrongly” declared and returned the APC as the winner of the said election.
Akpoti-Uduaghan in the letter written by her lawyer, Mr Johnson Usman, claimed that, “the candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) was wrongly returned with 52,132 votes and declared the winner of the election in the Senatorial District while our client was wrongly credited with 51,763 votes”.
According to the letter, the mistake was following a careful and meticulous review of the election results from the duplicate of the result sheets, which revealed that votes were manipulated and adjusted in favour of the APC’s candidate.
She claimed that the alleged manipulation of results occurred in three polling units in Ganaja Township Ward in Ajaokuta Local Governement Area of Kogi State.