.jpeg)
'Seun Ibukun-Oni, Abuja
DAILY COURIER - The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the final list of candidates for the Ondo State Governorship Election, and surprisingly, no political party has nominated a female candidate. This means that the election, scheduled for November 16, 2024, will be contested by male candidates only.
According to a statement by INEC's spokesperson Sam Olumekun today, 17 political parties are fielding candidates, but strikingly, not a single female candidate appears among those vying for the governorship. This exclusion highlights a significant gender disparity within the political landscape of Ondo State.
Despite the participation of seventeen political parties, none have put forward a woman for the top executive position in the state. This gender gap underscores ongoing challenges in achieving gender equality in Nigerian politics. While women constitute a substantial portion of the electorate and play crucial roles in grassroots political mobilization, their representation in higher political offices remains minimal.
The announcement further detailed that only one candidate, representing the African Democratic Congress (ADC), is a person with a disability. This candidate, a paraplegic, represents a small step towards inclusivity for persons with disabilities, but it does little to address the broader issue of gender representation.
As the electioneering campaigns commence on June 19, 2024, political parties are urged to conduct their campaigns with civility and respect, as mandated by the Electoral Act 2022. However, the absence of female candidates raises questions about the inclusiveness and representativeness of the political process in Ondo State.
Gender advocates argue that the lack of female candidates is indicative of systemic barriers that women face in politics, including limited access to funding, cultural biases, and lack of support from political parties. This situation calls for a re-evaluation of strategies to promote gender equality in political participation and leadership.
The ongoing exclusion of women from top political positions not only undermines democratic principles but also deprives the state of diverse perspectives and leadership styles that are essential for comprehensive governance. As the campaign season progresses, it remains to be seen whether this glaring gender imbalance will provoke necessary discussions and actions towards a more inclusive political environment in Ondo State and beyond.
Below is the full statement:
PRESS RELEASE
PUBLICATION OF THE FINAL LIST OF CANDIDATES FOR THE ONDO STATE GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION
The Commission is pleased to announce the publication of the final list of candidates for the Ondo State Governorship Election. Following the initial primaries, the Commission published the personal particulars of the Governorship candidates and their running mates in the State and Local Government offices.
In line with the provision of Section 33 of the Electoral Act 2022, two (2) political parties conducted fresh primaries to replace their earlier nominated candidates and their running mates by the deadline of 10th June 2024. The parties are the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) while five (5) parties replaced their running mates only. They are the African Action Congress (AAC), the Action Democratic Party (ADP), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
Overall, seventeen (17) political parties are fielding candidates for the election. No political party has nominated a female candidate while one (1) candidate nominated by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is a person with disability (a paraplegic). The final list also gives the breakdown of the candidates by age and academic qualifications.
The list has been published at our office in Akure and also uploaded to our website and social media platforms for public information.
COMMENCEMENT OF CAMPAIGN BY POLITICAL PARTIES IN PUBLIC
With the publication of the final list of candidates, the next activity is electionering campaign.
As provided by Section 94(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, campaign by Political Parties in public shall commence not earlier than 150 days before polling day and end 24 hours prior to that day.
Therefore, Political Parties are now permitted to start campaign in public from Wednesday 19th June 2024 and end at midnight on Thursday 14th November 2024 as indicated in items 8 and 12 of the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the election.
As parties commence this critical phase of the election, the Commission once again reminds candidates, agents and their supporters of the provision of the law and the Commission's guidelines governing such activity. For emphasis, parties shall conduct their campaigns with civility and decorum devoid of inciting language, violence, voter inducement and other infractions in accordance with the provisions of Section 92-97 of the Electoral Act 2022.
The Ondo State Governorship Election is scheduled to hold on Saturday 16th November 2024.
Sam Olumekun mni
National Commissioner & Chairman,
Information and Voter Education Committee
Thursday 13th June 2024
