As the 2025 Anambra governorship election gathers momentum, the candidacy of Senator Uche Lilian Ekwunife has emerged as a litmus test for female politicians in Nigeria. If elected, she would make history as the first female governor of Anambra State, shattering one of the last glass ceilings in Nigeria’s political landscape. However, the real question is: Will the women of Anambra rise to support her, or will they, as history suggests, align with male candidates and later lament the lack of female representation in leadership?
Ekwunife is no stranger to the political battlefield. With a career spanning both the House of Representatives and the Senate, she has built a reputation as a formidable grassroots politician, a technocrat, and a bridge-builder across party lines. Her policy focus is clear—education, healthcare, and economic empowerment, particularly for small and medium enterprises, which form the backbone of Anambra’s economy. Unlike many politicians who build their campaigns on promises, she has a track record of delivering constituency projects, engaging with stakeholders, and staying connected with her people.
Despite her qualifications, Ekwunife faces a deeply entrenched political culture that has historically sidelined women. In Nigeria’s six-decade history, no woman has been elected governor through a general election. The barriers are many: cultural biases, financial constraints, party structures dominated by men, and the reluctance of female voters to rally behind their own.
This election presents a crucial test—will Anambra’s women break from tradition and vote for competence over gender stereotypes? Or will they once again allow the men to dictate the political narrative while they resign themselves to lamenting the lack of female leadership?
The implications of an Ekwunife victory would be monumental. It would send a strong message that Nigerian politics is no longer an exclusive boys’ club, encouraging more women to step forward and compete at the highest levels. It would also challenge the notion that women in politics are destined for deputy roles, token appointments, or symbolic positions.
However, if she fails due to a lack of female support, it would reinforce the perception that Nigerian women are their own biggest stumbling block in politics. The same women who complain about marginalization would have to explain why, when given a competent and viable option, they still chose to align with the status quo.
As the election draws nearer, the question remains: Will Anambra’s women seize this opportunity to make history, or will they once again watch from the sidelines, only to cry foul later? The answer will shape not just Ekwunife’s fate, but the future of female political leadership in Nigeria.
Tags
Corridors of Power