In the upcoming Edo State governorship election, Patience Ofure-Key stands out as the sole female candidate among 16 contenders.
As the representative of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP), Ofure-Key is challenging the status quo in a male-dominated race.
Scheduled for Saturday, the election will determine who succeeds incumbent Governor Godwin Obaseki at the Dennis Osadebay Government House in Benin City. Initially, 17 candidates were cleared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), but Tom Iseghohi of the Action Alliance (AA) recently withdrew, leaving 16 contenders.
Ofure-Key, a 50-year-old dual Nigerian and United States citizen, brings diverse experience in health, business, and philanthropy.
Her leadership background includes serving as Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in the Diaspora Chamber of Commerce in the USA.
However, Ofure-Key presented only her Senior Secondary School Certificate from the West Africa Examinations Council (WAEC) to the electoral body.
The gender disparity extends beyond governorship candidates. Only six of the 16 remaining tickets feature women as deputy governorship candidates, representing 35% female presence.
These include:
Obazee Ramatu (Action Democratic Party), Ovarenua Paul (All People’s Party), Omorogbe Kingsley (Boot Party), Alufohai Oluyinka (Labour Party), Isopkan Ihueghian (New Nigeria People’s Party), and Idubor Joyce (Zenith Labour Party).
Notably, among the top contenders – Asuerinme Ighodalo (PDP), Monday Okpebholo (APC), and Olumide Akpata (LP) – only Akpata has chosen a female running mate, 42-year-old Oluyinka Alufohai.
INEC’s final register reveals a similar gender imbalance among voters. Out of 2,249,780 registered voters with Permanent Voter Cards, 1,370,061 (52%) are male, while 1,258,964 (48%) are female.
This disparity reflects a broader national trend, where women constitute nearly half of Nigeria’s population but face significant challenges in achieving gender equality in politics.
