Chichi Ojei, the presidential candidate of the Allied People’s Movement (APM), in a New Year statement tagged “2023: A glorious future beckons for Nigerians,” expressed confidence in winning the February 25 presidential election. There are altogether 18 presidential candidates in the election in which Ojei, 44, is the only female candidate. ALSO READ: Nigeria election: Govt shuts all land borders, restricts car movement A woman has never been president or vice president in the country's history. But Ojei has refused to be intimidated. Despite the odds against her, Ojei is confident of victory in a country with one of the lowest representations of women in politics globally. After the 2019 legislative elections, the Nigerian Senate elected 8 women (7.34%) out of 109 members and the House of Representatives elected 13 women (3.61%) out of 360 members, figures that fell well below the global average of 26.1% of women in parliament, and the objective of gender parity. ”With the increased demographics of Nigerian women and youths, I stand better chance of winning the people’s mandates against other candidates, she said in Abuja, in January. “As we approach one of the most historic general elections in the annals of Nigerian politics, it is no secret that the demographics of Nigerian women and youths have increased tremendously. I am appealing to all Nigerians who are eligible voters, to obtain their Permanent Voters Cards, especially women and youths, to vote the Allied People’s Movement. “I am the only female and one of the youngest contestants running for the office of president in the 2023 Nigeria general elections and a vote for me, is a vote for our future.” Ojei said that she represents a fresh agenda committed to providing innovative, transformative and responsive leadership, hope for Nigerians, unity, improved economic condition and good governance. An astute administrator and politician from Nigeria's southern state of Delta, who was schooled in Nigeria and overseas, her running mate is 47-year-old Ibrahim Mohammed. Ojei has advocated for a change of the old order of glamorising the office of the president in Nigeria and monetising campaigns. Besides challenging a culture and tradition which recognises women through the umbrella of marriage, she wants more serious campaign solutions to the problems of insecurity and economic setbacks facing Nigeria.
