Tag: Ayisha Osori

"There is this condescension to a woman's candidacy," she said. Despite her best efforts, she didn't make it through the party primaries. In the lower House of Assembly, women hold 19 of the 360 seats. High fees for nomination forms have been seen as a factor, even though the APC offered a half-price discount for female prospective candidates and the PDP made applications free. 'Prehistoric times' Poor female representation in Nigerian politics stands at odds with the situation elsewhere in Africa, notably Rwanda, where more than 60% of parliamentary deputies are women. "Many of the women who have won seats to the Senate are either wives or daughters of senators or governors. "They felt because you are a woman you can't be seen as controlling men," said Akande-Adeola, who is running for a Senate seat. "The party structure gives only room for men." Despite losing out on her first try, Kato says she still wants a political career even if it is likely to be an "uphill battle. "If you believe in women candidates, you need to put your money where your mouth is," she said.