Like Mama Taraba, like Mama Adamawa

RICHARD ELESHO FROM THE NEWS

The hype that attended the general election may have simmered in most parts of the country. Not in Adamawa and Kebbi States, where the March 18, Governorship polls have been declared inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. No winner emerged in the first round of ballots in both states, due to the margins of victory being too tiny and inferior compared to the number of pending votes.

In Adamawa, the ghost of the poll, therefore, hangs like a genie. Although, 15 political parties contested in the March 18 election, it was a two-horse race between the All Progressives Congress, APC and the People’s Democratic Party, PDP. Indeed, the APC candidate, Senator Aishatu Ahmed aka Benami is giving second term-seeking, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of the PDP, a hot chase for his incumbency.

Of the state’s 859,964 accredited voters, 390,275 voted for Binani, while Fintiri scored 421524, a difference of about 30,000 ballots. In addition, the runner-up has 8 out of 21 Local Governments in the kitty, while the Governor has 13. As the race was too close to call, the electoral umpire is to announce a new date for the runoff between the leading candidates.

No breathing space for women

In an industry dominated by male actors and regions with swaying religious sentiments, Benani’s outing has attracted wild excitement from her admirers. The Engineer turned politician inched close to becoming Nigeria’s first elected female Chief Executive of a state. Her’s is a striking replay of the feats of another woman Aisha Alhassan, the late amazon of Taraba politics.

Since the country’s return to democracy more than two decades ago, specifically in May 1999, no woman has been elected Governor. Let alone President or Vice President. Not more than seventeen have been elected as Deputy Governors at different times and places. Just two of them are from the north. Of the lot, only Virginia Atiaba who deputised for then Anambra Governor, Peter Obi, briefly stepped into her boss’s shoes when the latter was impeached in 2006/07.

The female gender has faired slightly better in the legislature. The high point of their record was the three-month stint of Patricia Olubunmi Eteh as Speaker of the House of Representatives in 2007.

Under the current Republic, not less than 50 women have been elected