2023: Why I Withdrew From Senatorial Race – Women Affairs Minister

The Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen has revealed why she withdrew from her 2023 senatorial ambition.

Tallen gave her reason while speaking during a virtual programme on Monday.

The minister noted that she withdrew from the race to support the senator representing the district who is a woman.

Tallen said, “I have a sitting female senator. All I wanted was for her to continue. We have only eight women out of 109, my own senator from my senatorial zone is a woman, she is doing very well, and I’m fully ready to support her.”

The minister who disclosed that she has no hand in the procurement of her form said it was picked for her by a group of women.

Tallen further stated, “While we were addressing the issue of gender-based violence, the issue of political violence against women is top on our agenda now. My senator has been harassed and intimated, that’s why on April 28 she withdrew and cried out that she wants to save her life and that of her children. Women in my senatorial zone rose up, there was nothing we didn’t do to appeal to her – that led to women in my senatorial zone contributing money to buy forms for me. I didn’t use one dime to pick the forms.

“That was why I accepted the form, but there were guidelines that you have to resign 30 days before and that caught up with me. Not just my senator that her seat is threatened, about four out of the eight are not likely to come back.

“My own senator, the senator from Rivers State has been denied ticket, the only senator from North-East, who is the best candidate for the Governor in Adamawa is not coming back to the Senate, our sister Remi Tinubu her husband is going for presidential office so she cannot contest. Looking at the number of the remaining four, how are we sure they will return. Our governors are pushing them out because the Senate is becoming retirement ground, it is time for action.”

This article was originally published on Nigeria News