“Ita-Giwa Breaks Silence: One Election, 32 Years Of Hate — The Cost Of Being A Woman In Politics

Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, who once represented the Cross River South Senatorial District, has voiced her frustration over the steep challenges women face in Nigeria’s political arena. Speaking in an interview with ARISE Television, Ita-Giwa described the election process as “terribly expensive” and increasingly difficult for female aspirants.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

She highlighted several issues, including political violence, the dominance of money in campaigns, and deeply rooted patriarchal structures, as significant roadblocks preventing women from making progress in party primaries and general elections.

Reflecting on her own tough political journey, Ita-Giwa shared a striking personal example: the man she defeated in a House of Representatives race over three decades ago has still not come to terms with his loss.

According to her:

“Women must contest elections, otherwise they will remain voiceless. If candidates were simply handpicked, it would be meaningless — anyone could just select a woman of his choice for token representation. But the positive aspect now is that women will actually contest, and the system can be reviewed after two election cycles — around 16 years.

“Still, being realistic, it is extremely difficult for women to win elections today. The process is unbelievably costly. Most men running for Senate today are wealthy and powerful — they enter politics to protect their business empires. So, a woman with ₦100,000 might face a billionaire opponent willing to pour huge sums into the race.

“Men even strategize harder when facing female opponents. They don’t want to return home and admit to their wives that a woman defeated them. And when you do win, they hold grudges. The man I beat 32 years ago has never forgiven me.”