Competence Should Guide Imo East Senatorial Representation in 2027, Says Akeredolu
Former First Lady of Ondo State, Dr. Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, has advocated for competence as the primary criterion for occupying elected political offices in 2027.
She emphasized that the concept of equity, often interpreted as turn-by-turn, should not be limited to geographical considerations alone.
Dr. Anyanwu-Akeredolu argued that those who promote equity must also consider the rights of women to hold political offices.
Responding to calls from certain politicians to reserve the Imo East Senatorial seat for the Ngor Okpala political bloc in 2027 on the grounds of equity, she highlighted the historical marginalization of women in the senatorial district, where men have predominantly held positions since the return of democracy.
She pointed out that, aside from Senator Chris Anyanwu, no other woman has occupied the position, as all other senators before and after her have been men.
Dr. Betty asserted that the challenges faced by the zone are a result of male-dominated misrepresentation.
The gender advocate stated, “A fair system must recognize both geographic and gender balance. Therefore, equity must also mean providing women with a fair opportunity to lead. The challenges faced by the Owerri Zone have stemmed from male-dominated representation, leading to years of weak representation, lack of developmental visibility, poor constituency engagement, and unfulfilled promises.”
Dr. Anyanwu-Akeredolu affirmed that the only period of effective representation in the zone was under a woman, and her pursuit of the senatorial seat is not driven by clannish motives.
The founder of the Bemore Empowered Girls Initiative, pledged to deliver transformative representation to the entire zone, a commitment she has demonstrated through her work in girl-child education and empowerment, rural health outreach, sustainable energy initiatives, education and ICT programmes, and youth empowerment.
She maintained that the year 2027 offers the senatorial zone a unique opportunity to decide whether to continue with the existing pattern that has hindered its growth or to break away from it for the betterment of the people.
