By Josfyn Uba, Henry Uche and Bianca Iboma
Senator Akon Eyakenyi (Deputy Governor, Akwa Ibom)
Dr. Akon Etim Eyakenyi is the first female to be democratically elected deputy governor of Akwa Ibom State under the platform of the PDP. Eyakenyi, an indigene of Iquita in Oron Local Government Area is the Senator representing Akwa Ibom South in the National Assembly and doubles as the Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Education. She started her political career in 2000, as Commissioner for Industry, Commerce and Tourism in Obong Victor Attah’s tenure. In 2013, she was appointed Chairperson, Akwa Ibom State Technical Schools Board, by former Governor Godswill Akpabio, and then as Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development in 2014 during the tenure of President Goodluck Jonathan.
In June 2015, Dr. Eyakenyi was appointed into the Technical Committee of the Ibaka Deep Seaport, and in October 2016, as Chairman, Governing Council, Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Osurua. She is married to Engr. Etim Eyakenyi
Josephine Piyo (Deputy Governor Plateau)
Despite the fact that some prominent female politicians like Mrs. Pallen Tallen had created inroads and opened up possibilities for women to participate in politics in Plateau state, the cultural bottlenecks which hinders women’s growth abound. Mrs. Josephine Piyo didn’t just become the deputy governor of Plateau State on a platter of gold. It came out of determination, commitment and hard work. She contested on the platform of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) alongside Governor Caleb Mutfwang. Piyo, a grassroots politician and one time chairperson of Riyom Local Government Area of the state, was also a former lawmaker in the Plateau State House of Assembly. She is a health care worker and had served as a public administrator before her foray into politics.
Dr Hadiza Balarabe Sabuwa (Deputy Governor Kaduna)
Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe broke traditional barriers and gender parity in Northern Nigeria to become the first female deputy governor of Kaduna state. She is an astute politician and trained medical doctor. She is the first elected female deputy governor of the state and was elected during the 2019 Governorship Election alongside her principal Governor El’Rufia, under the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC.
Born into the family of Alhaji Abubakar Balarabe in Sanga Local Government Area of the state, Hadiza attended Girls College Soba for her secondary education, and was admitted into the University of Maiduguri where she studied medicine. She graduated with MBBS in 1986. She also served as the Executive Secretary of the State Primary Health Care Development Agency before she became the deputy governor to Nasir El-rufai in 2018.
Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed
Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed, popularly known as Binani is a politician of repute. She too, like other female political figures went far beyond boundaries by competing side by side her male contemporaries in the political space. Apart from being the only female senator from Northern Nigeria in the 9th National Assembly having represented Adamawa Central from 2019 to 2023, Binani’s popularity was further tested in a keen contest for the position of Governor of Adamawa state in the 2023 general elections. In a fierce competition during the primary elections, she came head on with some strong political forces where she scaled through.
Not resting on her oars and not minding the power of incumbency, she contested against the incumbent Governor of Adamawa, Ahmadu Fintiri, in the 2023 general election. Binani who has sponsored so many bills in the house is married to Professor Ahmed Modibbo. She came into politics in 2011
Iman Sulaiman-Ibrahim
Iman Sulaiman-Ibrahim has made a mark on a pathway where even most men are even afraid to tread on and earned a strong reputation for excellence in professionalism by hard work and will to succeed. She is the first female Minister of Police Affairs and presently serves as Honourable Federal Commissioner HFC/CEO for the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), where she initiated the “Project 5s” program, a robust intervention to tackle critical issues facing persons of concern in Nigeria.
She is an expert in conflict management, peace-building and national security issues
Armed with a B.sc in Sociology from the University of Abuja, at just 21, she already knew how best to create her own narrative in her career path. Today, her determination to break the existing traditional barriers against women, especially in Northern Nigeria remains resolute. Imaan is the Co-Founder/President of The Beehive Initiative, which is now the BumbleeBee Civic Initiative, a platform focused on nurturing and mentoring politically inclined women and creating grassroots civic awareness.
She was appointed DG of The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, where she contributed immensely to the plights of trafficked persons and worked assiduously towards strengthening the national response to addressing irregular migration.
Imaan is an award-winning politician, strategist, and country expert in national security, conflict management, human capital development, and peacebuilding.