AAC Blasts Sexist Attacks on Anambra Governorship Candidate, Chioma Ifemeludike

By Our Correspondent

The African Action Congress (AAC) has come out swinging against what it calls “sexist jokes and coded attacks” aimed at its Anambra governorship candidate, Chioma Ifemeludike.

The party says the online jabs — mostly about her looks and wardrobe — are nothing but cheap distractions from real political debate.

Ifemeludike has been trending recently after releasing striking campaign photos and videos promoting her vision of inclusive governance and challenging Nigeria’s deep-rooted patriarchy in politics.

In a fiery statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Femi Adeyeye, the AAC said:“Our great party has observed, in the last 24 hours, how our candidate — a vibrant, ideologically clear woman — is being judged by her outfit and physical features rather than the strength of her ideas.”

The statement slammed the “deep-seated patriarchy” in Nigeria’s political culture, saying that rather than engage Ifemeludike’s policies, some people are busy “policing her looks.

“The sexist jokes remain condemned but are not surprising. Even the National Assembly, a supposed model of representation, has become a house of sexist jokes,” the party said.

The AAC cited past experiences of Bianca Ojukwu and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who have both faced gender-based ridicule in Nigeria’s political space.

The party lamented that women in politics are often subjected to “double scrutiny” — forced to prove their competence while meeting ever-changing standards of “acceptable femininity.

“This isn’t just unfair; it’s a distraction from the real issues that matter,” the statement added.

Warning against reducing female candidates to their appearance, the AAC urged voters to focus on ideas, vision, and competence.

“When we reduce a woman to her body or clothing, we silence her voice and reinforce the notion that a woman’s worth lies in her looks, not her ability. Nigeria deserves better.

“Voters must reject the sexist jokes, mockery, and coded language that seek to push women out of politics. The leaders we need should be judged by their policies, not their wardrobes — by their work ethic, not their waistlines,” the party said.

Rounding off, the AAC called on the electorate to back its candidate in the forthcoming polls:“Support the AAC. Vote Chioma Ifemeludike — for good governance beyond Soludo’s theatrics.