Women account for only 11.7 per cent of the 77 candidates cleared to contest the 2027 National Assembly elections in Edo State, while youth participation remains below four per cent.
An analysis of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) final list for the 16 January 2027 elections shows that 68 men and nine women are competing for federal legislative seats in the state.
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The candidates contesting Senate and House of Representatives seats range in age from 33 to 75, with an average age of about 48.7 years.
The Senate has 26 candidates, comprising 21 men and 5 women, giving women a 19.2 per cent share of the seats in the coveted Red Chamber.
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The House of Representatives has 51 candidates, including 47 men and four women, leaving women with only 7.8 per cent representation.
The disparity is more pronounced in the lower chamber, where female candidates account for fewer than 1 in 10 contestants.
The female candidates and their parties
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that among the five female Senate candidates are Herberta Okonofua of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Evelyn Adudu of the Allied People’s Movement, both contesting in Edo Central District.
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Others are Maria Oisamoje of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Edo North, Osahenoma Ekhorutomwen of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) and Brigitte Epelle-Asemota of the NDC in Edo South.
The House of Representatives contest in Akoko-Edo features Abimbola Eragbe of the Labour Party (LP) and Elizabeth Jemitola of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Rabietu Momodu of the LP is contesting in Etsako, while Omosede Igbinedion of the All Progressives’ Congress (APC) is seeking re-election in Ovia.
Adams Oshiomhole is the oldest candidate
NAN reports that the age profile also shows limited youth participation, with only three of the 77 candidates falling within the 18-to-35 age bracket under Nigeria’s National Youth Policy.
They are 33-year-old Shedrach Udugbai of the ADC, contesting Owan in East/West, and 36-year-olds Abdulhafiz Lawal of the African Action Congress (AAC) and Osahenoma Ekhorutomwen of the ADP.
While Ekhorutomwen and Lawal are 36, and therefore outside the 18-to-35 youth bracket, they remain among the youngest candidates on the list.
The youngest candidate is 33-year-old Udugbai, while the oldest is 75-year-old former governor of the state, Adams Oshiomhole of the APC, who is re-contesting for the Edo North Senatorial seat.
The candidates for the Senate have an average age of 52 years, compared with 47 years for House of Representatives candidates.
The House of Representatives’ age range runs from 33 to 71 years, with Segun Jegede of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), contesting Owan East/West, listed as the oldest candidate.
The analysis also shows a sharp gender imbalance among major political parties.
The APC has one female candidate among its 12 national assembly contestants, while the PDP has one woman among its five candidates.
The NDC records the highest number of female candidates, with three women contesting under its platform.
READ ALSO: Edo State and the urgency of enabling an agro-allied economy, By Osarenren Izedonmwen
The demographic profile shows a gap in disability inclusion: no candidate is designated under the Persons with Disabilities classification in the analysed final list.
The figures suggest that while the 2027 National Assembly election offers broad partisan competition, women, young people and persons with disabilities remain substantially underrepresented among the candidates.
NAN reports that the National Assembly election is scheduled for 16 January 2027, while the governorship and State House of Assembly elections will be held on 6 February.
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