Last May, Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) announced Aishatu “Binani” Dahiru as the winner of the governorship primary in the northeastern state of Adamawa, making her the only female flagbearer of any mainstream party in the governorship and state assembly elections.
The 51-year-old politician could also make history as the first elected female governor in Africa’s largest democracy on Saturday when only 24 of the 416 candidates vying for office are women.
This obviously has caused more reactions in the faces of a lot across Nigeria in less than 24 hours.
Could this be an evolvement in the history of women’s inclusion in politics in Nigeria? could it be a new era for women in general?
Coming from an ultraconservative region, many assume that a woman has no place running for the office. Fakhrriyyah Hashim, a former fellow of the Africa Leadership Centre and convener of the Arewa MeToo movement, told Al Jazeera; “They appropriate instead her inability to lead men in prayer to her supposed inability to lead a society in governance.”
“This is the path Aishatu has laid out a long time ago.” Yasmin Buba, an advocate for girls in Yola, the Adamawa capital, told Al Jazeera. “Unlike other politicians who get to the communities through stakeholders, Aishatu interfaces with the people directly.” Well sure in the midst of all that is happening in Nigeria, this particular news is causing more stir and arising more awareness in the mind of so many Nigerians, women especially.
Could this likely be an evolution in women’s history?