A total of 11 women from various political parties are contesting next year’s National Assembly election in Edo State.
Five women are contesting the Senate, while six are seeking election to the House of Representatives.
Only two women, Hon. Omosede Igbinedion and Senator Daisy Danjuma, have won elections to the National Assembly in Edo State since 1999.
Senator Danjuma represented Edo South from 2003 to 2007, while Hon. Igbinedion currently represents Ovia Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.
The political parties that fielded women in Edo State for the House of Representatives are the Labour Party, which fielded Eragbe Abimbola for Akoko-Edo; the Peoples Democratic Party, which fielded Jemitola Aanena; the LP, which also presented Momodu Abietu for Estako Federal Constituency; the All Progressives Congress (APC), which presented Omosede Igbinedion for Ovia Federal Constituency; the Zenith Labour Party, which fielded Akpoghomhe Patience for Estako Federal Constituency; and the African Democratic Party, which presented Obazee Ramatu for Ikpoba-Okha/Egor Federal Constituency.
In the senatorial election, the women fielded are Epelle Asemota Osayuki by the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC); Mrs Adudu Evelyn Omonigho (APM) for Edo North; and Hon. Herbetha Okonofua for the African Democratic Congress for Edo Central.
Others are Adudu Evelyn Omonigho, presented by the Allied Peoples Movement for Edo Central; Ekhorutomwen Osarenoma, running under the African Democratic Party for Edo South; and Oisayemoje Evuarherhe of the NDC for Edo North.
Only Hon. Igbinedion has won election twice to the House of Representatives among the 11 women.
Others who have contested the election and lost are Okonofua and Osayuki.