Women’s active participation in politics in Nigeria is limited, which is one of the reasons why so few women hold political office in the country. Women rarely become state governors in Nigeria, despite the fact that there are some female senators, commissioners, ministers, and members of the House of Representatives. In Nigerian democracy, the first female to become a governor assumed office without election....CONTINUE READING THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
In the history of Nigeria’s democracy, Virginia Etiaba was the first female to assume the position of governor. This was a position given to her without her going to any contest or campaigning for the position.
Since elections are basically about contests and voting, how did Virginia Etiaba become the first female governor to rule a state in Nigeria without a contest?
Virginia Etiaba was sworn in as Nigeria’s first female governor in 2006 without any competition from any other candidates, a position she assumed on a platter of gold following the impeachment of Peter Obi, the then-Governor of Anambra State, for egregious misconduct by the legislature.
Both Mr. Peter Obi and Mrs. Etiaba served under the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). Mrs. Virginia was the deputy governor to Peter Obi before the latter was impeached and Mrs. Virginia took over office in accordance with the constitution.
Mrs. Virginia had initially hesitated to accept the gubernatorial job because she saw Peter Obi as her boss, and he would continue to be her boss, but she accepted the governorship position due to the oddity of the case.
Unfortunately, Mrs. Virginia’s tenure as the state governor was short, as she only served for three months before Peter Obi reassumed office following a court order that said he should be allowed to complete his term in office.
Some people opined that Mrs. Virginia should have gotten redress in court since it was the State House of Assembly that impeached Peter Obi for gross misconduct, but the woman declined the advice and allowed her boss to complete his tenure.
