Date: 2015-09-05

The ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) is a Change Agent political Organisation in Nigeria that is offering its platforms to all gender irrespective of sundry considerations. The party has on its membership list, accomplished women who, in various capacities, have made significant contributions to the development of the nation and her democracy. These women are simply APC women who are geared towards Change in the country. Here is their roll-call:

adiza Bala Usman

Hajia Hadiza Bala Usman is the first female Chief of Staff in the north since the return of Nigeria's democracy in 1999. She was recently appointed to that position by Kaduna state governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.

A well-known figure in the All Progressive Congress (APC), she was born in Zaria where her father, the famous radical historian, late Dr Yusufu Bala Usman, was lecturing at the popular Ahmadu Bello University.

In April 2014, she co-founded the global movement #BringBackOurGirls which has been demanding for the rescue of the 219 young girls abducted by Boko Haram from Chibok Secondary School in Borno State. Hadiza has been internationally recognized for her contributions.

Before her appointment, she served the APC in a number of committees and capacities. Key amongst which are, the Administrative Secretary of the Buhari Presidential Campaign Organization, Member/ Secretary of the APC Elections Planning Committee and Member of the APC Strategy Committee. She was also Director of Finance in the Nasir El-Rufai Campaign Organization, and later the Kaduna State APC Campaign Council.

Obiageli Ezekwesili

Dr Oby Ezekwesili was the Nigerian World Bank Vice-President for the Africa region. She hails from Anambra state. Before her nomination as the World Bank Vice President, she was Minister of Education in former President Olusegun Obasanjo' administration. She holds a Masters in International Law and Diplomacy from University of Lagos, as well as a Masters of Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard. She is also a chartered accountant and was a co-founder of the bring back our girls movement.

Ezekwesili subsequently served as Minister of Solid Minerals Development, with emphasis on reforming Nigeria's mining sector to internationally recognized standards.

Even though she is not a registered member of the APC, but her struggle for the betterment of the country tallies with what the APC stand for and which endeared her to the party so much so that the party identifies completely with her.

Dame Chinelo Ijeoma Dan Nzelu

Chinelo Dan Nzelu is a graduate of Economics (BSC and MSC) , universities of Ibadan and Lagos respectively. Trained at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), world Bank courses, Harvard, IMD ( inter. Management Dev Centre) Switzerland ,amongst others. She worked in the Central Bank of Nigeria from 1978 to 1992 and was seconded as a pioneer staff to Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation . She voluntarily retired as a Director in 2002 to venture into the private sector. Currently the CEO of Hezron Properties, amongst others. She is a member of the Anambra State branch of APC, community leader and a stake holder of the ruling party in Oba, Idemili South, LGA, Anambra state. Currently a committee member of the Buhari Support Organization (BSO).

Senator Binta Masi Garba

Binta Garba can best be described as the proverbial cat with nine lives having rode on the political space like a colossus. Her political trajectory to lime light in the last sixteen years of our political journey was unique having contested in two states and on two political platforms to serve as member Federal House of Representatives representing Adamawa and Kaduna states respectively.

To cap to that unique feat, she became the First woman to lead a party at the state level when she was elected the Adamawa state chairman of the All Progressives Congress and also gave a good account of her stewardship by making the party to shift from the major opposition party to the ruling party in the state. In the process, she also benefitted immensely from her hard work as she clinched the senatorial ticket of her Boko Haram ravaged Senatorial zone despite the fact that her own people of Michika vehemently opposed her candidature

senator Oluremi Tinubu

Senator Oluremi Tinubu is the wife of the former governor of Lagos state, Bola Ahmed Tinubu. As the First Lady of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007, she founded the New Era Foundation—a non-profit organisation, tailored to enhance youth development, girl-child education, women empowerment and inspiring young person's to excellence.

She has won election under the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria and All Progressives Congress (APC) to represent Lagos Central Senatorial District in the upper chambers of the National Assembly. She has been an active APC faithful.

Senator Ruqayyah Gbemisola Saraki

Gbemisola Saraki is the eldest daughter of the late king maker of Kwara politics, Dr Olusola Saraki. She was a member of the House of Representatives between1999 and 2007 and served as a Senator between 2007 and 2011. GRS as she is fondly called by her admirers was the Kwara state gubernatorial candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria(ACPN) during the 2011 governorship election. She played a key role in the rejuvenation of the PDP in the state when her senior brother, Dr Bukola Saraki dumped the party for APC. She was a gubernatorial candidate of PDP during the 2015 general elections. Due to alleged marginalisation by the PDP's hierachy in the state, Gbemi later dumped PDP and team up with her brother in the APC.

Abike Dabiri-Erewa

Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa represented Ikorodu federal constituency in the House of Representatives until 2015 when she asked others to have a shot at the legislative business.

Thereafter, she joined the President Muhammadu Buhari campaign train as a moderator in some states of the federation.

Naja'atu Bala Muhammad

Najatu Muhammed is a household name in the nation politics. She contested and won the Senate seat in the fourth republic. Najaatu was actively involved in politics and had maintained her stance against the military junta. She participated in a number of political party's formations and national assignments. She was a member of various committees and also a delegate to the various political events.

Rabia Husaini Adamu Eshak

Rabia Eshak is a grassroot mobiliser for women participation in politics in Jigawa state. She Contested for the Jigawa North west senatorial seat in 2007 underthe defunct Action Congress and has held the position of National Vice Chair of North west Zone under ACN in 2008-2012 She has been a Member of the GMB for President Initiative from 2012, Member of APC Northern Caucus from 2013, Member of the national merger Committee 2013, Member of Election and INEC subcommittee of the merger committee and a Member of the Presidential Campaign Council of PMB, She was also a Member of the Presidential Primaries Special Convention main committee, a Major Stakeholder APC Jigawa state and member of the harmonization committee and Supervisor field operations and Election monitoring Member of the APC Board of Trustees among others.

ame Pauline Tallen

Pauline Talle's political journey started when she was elected as a councillor in Shendam local government council of Plateau State. She came into political limelight at the State level when she was appointed Commissioner of health in Plateau state and later appointed minister of state for science and technology by former President Obasanjo administration; she was member PDP board of trustee before she resigned. Dame Tallen was the deputy governor of Plateau state from 2007 to 2011 when she felll out with her boss, David Jonah Jang. She contested for 2011 governor ship election under the platform of Labour party where she gave a good account of herself. Tallen is presently a strong member of APC .

Dr. Ramatu Aliyu

Hajiya Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, was a former national vice chairman of the defunct All Nigerian People's Party (ANPP), which is one of the legacy parties that formed the All Progressives Congress (APC). Aliyu later became the pioneer national woman leader of the APC in June 2014, a position she used to mobilised Nigerian women for the party's 'change' cause in the buildup to the 2015 general elections. It is almost impossible to find any APC women gathering or meeting without her.

Hannatu Musawa

Barr. Hannatu Musawa is an Abuja-based lawyer, politician and daughter of a first republic politician, Alhaji Musan Musawa. Musawa is a syndicated writer and a staunch member of the APC.

Heebah Ireti Kingibe

Hajiya Ireti Heebah Kingibe is a former chairman of LEADERSHIP Group and a Civil Engineering graduate from the University of Minnesota, United States. On graduation in 1980, she became one of the very few female engineers in Nigeria at that time. She had on a few occasions taken a shot at the Federal Capital Territory senatorial seat without success. The wife of the former national chairman of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP), Alhaji Baba Gana Kingibe, maintained her desire for political office in order to bring succour to the less-privileged people in the FCT.

Khadija Bukar Abba Ibrahim

Honourable Khadija Bukar Abba Ibrahim is a current member of the House of Representatives and wife of the first civilian Governor of Yobe State, Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim. Her father, the late Alhaji Ibrahim Waziri was the apostle of 'politics without bitterness', as well as a former presidential candidate and founder of the Great Nigeria People's Party (GNPP) in the second republic.

Princess Imikan Attah

Princess Imikan Attah is an Akwa Ibom state-born APC stalwart and public affairs commentator. She is one of the few faces of the party in the South-South geo-political zone.

Mrs Rachael Akpabio

hough, the All Progressive Congress, APC lost in the 2015 general election to the PDP in the South-South geo-political zone, the party's leader, Mrs Rachael Akpabio was said to have galvanized and mobilized the women folks in the campaign towards the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2015 presidential election. She was also said to have deployed her resources in supporting the party.

Hajiya Sadiya Farouk

Farouk was born in Zamfara state. She started her primary school in her state and then moved to the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria for her degree programme then immersed herself into full time politics. She was the national treasurer of the defunct CPC. After the merger that birthed the APC, she became the interim national treasurer of the APC. A strong party faithful and a grassroots mobiliser that has worked very hard in galvanising women, Hajia Farouk has actively featured in all the presidential campaigns of president Buhari.

Rinsola Abiola

Miss Rinsola Abiola, daughter of the acclaimed winner of June 12, 1993 presidential election, late Chief MKO Abiola, was very active on the social media during the electioneering campaign of President Muhammadu Buhari. A pioneer member of the All Progressive Youth Forum, the young politician was later appointed member of the APC Board of Trustees (BoT).

Mrs Patricia Kupchi

Known as one of Benue State's iron lady, Mrs Kupchi's grasp of grassroots politics saw her influence and meteoric rise for her devotion to the APC struggle in Benue State which her being appointed immediately by Governor Samuel Ortom as the Benue State's Special Adviser on employment and Labour matters. She remains a rallying point for Benue women and a leader for the future.

Rev Mrs Sally Williams Chinebu

Rev Mrs Sally Wiiliam Chinebu, a Barrister is the Woman Leader South East of the All Progressive Congress (APC).

A trained Pastor who runs a number of NGOs including Africa- Israeli Development. She is from Arochukwu in Arochukwu local government of Abia state. Chinebu was brought up in Oboro in Ikwuano local government of the state.

Barrister Mrs Chinebu

has had forays into partisan politics in 2003 when she was in the defunct ANPP.

On the party, Mrs Chinebu said she is working to consolidate at least 75% of Abia women as APC takes over Abia state

Hajiya Ramatu Ali Ohioma

Ohioma is a seasoned journalist with over 25 years' experience. She was on the editorial board of the New Nigerian and later the Daily Trust Newspapers. Hajia Ramatu is passionate about the empowerment of women, an issue she thoroughly dealt with in her columns with the New Nigerian. She believes that there cannot be any sustainable development without adequate representation of women in decision making positions. Ramatu who has a master's degree in International Law and Diplomacy from the University of Jos, is presently a media consultant,an entrepreneur and a staunch APC mobiliser.

Hajiya Rabi Ishaq

Rabi Ishaq was born in Jigawa state and she is usually called the bridge. She has been an active APC faithful and was part of the merger team that birthed the APC. She contested for the senate in 2007 under the defunct Action Congress but lost. She was a member of the Strategy Committee in the Buhari campaign organisations. Her effort in her state also resulted in Alhaji Badaru emerging as the governor of the state, despite the strong presence of Sule Lamido.

Sharon Ikeazor

She is an A P C women leader. A founding member of the defunct CPC and has always been with Buhari. As a chieftain of the APC, she worked relentlessly for the success of the party. Ikeazor is a lawyer and currently a member of the APC Board of Trustees.

Fatima Balla-Abubakar Former Nigeria's ambassador to Botswana Fatima Balla-Abubakar, is a product of a girl-child-education policy in Nigeria. Her leap into politics saw her becoming a major stakeholder in the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) and was instrumental to the success of the Party in the last general elections.

Aisha Jummai Al-Hassan

She is an astute politician that took Nigeria by storm in the last general elections. As the Taraba state APC gubernatorial candidate for the 2015 elections, she almost made history as the first democratically elected female Governor in Nigeria. Although, she was defeated in the elections, she succeeded in carving a niche for herself and the APC pulling so much support for President Muhammadu Buhari at the polls in Taraba state.

A lawyer by training, Jummai became Taraba State Attorney General and commissioner for justice. She was appointed the chief registrar of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja on 17 December 2003. After she retired from service she went into business. She is viewed as a strong change agent for the APC.