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Nigeria’s Minister of Women Affairs, Minister Pauline Tallen has withdrawn from the senatorial race to focus on her ministerial position.
According to a report by Punch, Ms Tallen announced her resignation via a statement on Monday.
In the statement, she said, “With profound gratitude and great humility, I have decided to voluntarily step down from the Senatorial race sequel to the yearnings of women and other well-meaning Nigerians who see the need for a strong voice for Women at the Senate having consulted widely with my family, well-wishers and supporters conscious of the role I play for women in Nigeria today!”
Ms Tallen went further to reassure Nigerian women and girls that she had not submitted her resignation letter as Minister of Women Affairs and would be carrying on in her ministerial capacity.
She also noted that she came to the decision after consulting with members of her projected constituency and concluded that it would be wise to withdraw from the race.
In addition, Ms. Tallen explained that her ministerial capacity could serve as a breach when contesting saying,
“…mindful that the Constitution of APC stipulates in Article 31 (1) (iii) (October 2014 As Amended), that: ‘Any Party Officeholder interested in contesting for an elective office (whether party office or office in a general election) shall resign and leave office 30 days prior to the date of nomination or party primary for the office he or she is seeking to contest aspiring to any office must have resigned his/her appointment days’. It will therefore be a breach to resign office at this time since this was not done ahead of the stipulated timeline.”
Prior to the withdrawal, the minister had purchased a form from the All Progressives Congress to contest the Plateau South Senatorial election.
