Edo poll: Women voters sue for peaceful campaigns amid violence

The Nigeria League of Women Voters has called on all political parties and candidates ahead of the September 21 governorship election in Edo State to be peaceful in their campaigns in the wake of the violence that erupted in the state capital last Thursday.

Recall that last Thursday, the convoy of the reinstated Deputy Governor of the state, Philip Shaibu and the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo, was attacked by gunmen, leading to the death of a police officer.

The incident has pitched the Peoples Democratic Party and the APC against each other, with both calling for a probe while fingering opposition members as those involved in the mayhem.

Speaking during a press briefing, the chairperson of the Planning Committee, of the League, Professor Yinka Omorogbe, rued the low presence of women in public service in Edo State since 1999.

She said, “We want peace as much as possible in their campaigns, that is the only advice we can give to them.

“We believe that Edo State has not quite caught on to the importance of women in the public space, and to the contribution that women make to the society and we believe that part of this is because there are not many women in governance.

“Post 1999, we have had only one senator, we have had only one House of Representatives member, unlike other states. We are one of the states with the poorest record, at some point we had a House of Assembly with zero women

“So we want the candidates to know this so that whoever comes in will be aware that there are certain things that he or she has to work with to make sure that Edo is really an inclusive society.”

Speaking earlier, the chairperson of the group in Edo State, Anthonia Asagba, said the League envisioned a Nigeria where every individual possesses the desire and right to participate in the democratic process.

She added, “We are driven by a mission and our efforts are geared to empowering Nigerian women economically and politically for national development, defend democracy, and to make our grassroots women understand the essence of voting.

“We are a non-sectarian, non-partisan, non-religious, non-tribal, non-racial, and non-profit making organization. She added that the League is modeled after the League of Women Voters in America.