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Uche Ekwunife

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Uche Ekwunife
Senator Uche Ekwunife
DG. Southeast Governors' Forum, Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from Anambra Central Senatorial District
Incumbent
Assumed office
June 2015
Preceded byVictor Umeh
Member of the Nigerian House of Representatives from Anambra
In office
June 2007 – June 2015
ConstituencyAnaocha/Njikoka/Dunukofia
Personal details
Born
Uche Lilian Ogudebe

(1970-12-12) 12 December 1970 (age 54)
Igbo-Ukwu, Anambra, Nigeria
Political partyPeople's Democratic Party (PDP)
SpouseLarry Ekwunife
Alma materUniversity of Calabar (BSc)
Nnamdi Azikiwe University (MBA)
Websitehttps://senucheekwunife.com

Uche Lilian Ekwunife// ⓘ née Ogudebe born 12 January 1970), is a Nigerian politician who was recently a Senator representing the people of Anambra Central Senatorial District of Anambra State. She is known as one of the most active female senators in the House.[1]

Early life and education

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Ekwunife was born on December 12, 1970, in Igbo-Ukwu, Anambra to Emmanuel and Lucy Ogudebe. Ekwunife attended University of Calabar and graduated with a bachelor's degree in Business and Accounting in 1993. She went on to earn her MBA degree from Nnamdi Azikiwe University in 2002.[2]

Ekwunife had a banking career, reaching the position of an area manager. She is married to businessman Chief Larry Ekwunife and they have children.[3]

Political career

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Ekwunife contested for Anambra governorship election twice unsuccessfully.[4] She was elected as a lower house representative in 2007 for Anambra's Anaocha/Njikoka/Dunukofia constituency. She was one of 11 women elected in 2007 who were re-elected in 2011 when the lower house was nearly 95% male. Other women elected included Juliet Akano, Mulikat Adeola-Akande, Abike Dabiri, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Nnena Elendu-Ukeje, Olajumoke Okoya-Thomas, Beni Lar, Khadija Bukar Abba-Ibrahim, Elizabeth Ogbaga and Peace Uzoamaka Nnaji.[5]

In 2015, she was elected to the Nigerian Senate. She was one of the six women elected to the 8th National Assembly. The other women were Rose Okoji Oko, Stella Oduah, Fatimat Raji Rasaki, Oluremi Tinubu and Binta Garba.[6] Ekwunife had won the 2015 election after defecting to another political party. Because of this, her election was challenged at the election tribunal and in December 2015, the court declared her seat vacant.[7] Ekwunife was unable to get the support of former political party (the All Progressives Grand Alliance) for the bye-election and as a result, Victor Umeh was elected as Senator.[8]

She won the 2019 Anambra State senatorial elections under the platform of the People's Democratic Party representing Anambra central Senatorial District, Nigeria.[9][10] defeating her 2015 rival Victor Umeh who sought re-election.

References

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  1. ^ "Anambra Governorship poll: PDP appoints Ekwunife as Campaign D-G". The Guardian. 2021-08-09. Retrieved 2022-02-21.
  2. ^ "Ekwunife Senator Uche Lilian". Biography Legacy for Research Foundation. 2017-08-23. Retrieved 2024-08-29.
  3. ^ "About Uche Ekwunife - NASS". National Assembly of Nigeria. Retrieved 2024-08-29.
  4. ^ "The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)". INEC WEBSITE. Retrieved 2024-08-29.
  5. ^ "Women who will shape Seventh National Assembly". Vanguard. 2011-06-06. Retrieved 2020-05-03.
  6. ^ The 6 female senators in 8th National Assembly, Naij.com, Retrieved 2016-02-15.
  7. ^ "Ekwunife loses seat to Obiora". The Nation. Retrieved 2024-07-06.
  8. ^ Owete, Festus (2016-01-21). "APC panel disqualifies "fair-weather" Ekwunife from contesting Senate rerun on party's platform". Premium Times. Retrieved 2016-02-15.
  9. ^ Eleke, David-Chyddy (2019-02-28). "Finally, INEC Declares Ekwunife winner of Anambra central senatorial Election". This Day. Retrieved 2024-08-29.
  10. ^ "Ekwunife wins Anambra Central Senatorial seat". The Nation. 2015-05-30. Retrieved 2024-08-29.

Notes

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  1. ^ Abaribe was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the APC in May 2022.
  2. ^ Abbo was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the APC in November 2020.
  3. ^ Akpan was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the YPP in July 2022.
  4. ^ The PDP's Ekpenyong was elected senator in 2019 but a Court of Appeal partially annulled the results and called a supplementary election in the affected areas. Ekpenyong won the ensuing rerun election and was sworn-in again in January 2020.
  5. ^ Oduah was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the APC in August 2021 before returning to the PDP in April 2022.
  6. ^ Jika was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the NNPP in June 2022.
  7. ^ Bulkachuwa was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the PDP in November 2022.
  8. ^ Gumau was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the NNPP in May 2022.
  9. ^ The PDP's Douye Diri was elected senator in 2019 but resigned in February 2020 after winning election to become Bayelsa State Governor. Cleopas won the ensuing bye-election and took office in December 2020.
  10. ^ The PDP's Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo was elected senator in 2019 but resigned in February 2020 after winning election to become Bayelsa State Deputy Governor. Dickson won the ensuing bye-election and took office in December 2020.
  11. ^ a b In April 2022, Adamu and Kyari resigned from the Senate after taking APC party offices the month prior.
  12. ^ The PDP's Rose Okoji Oko was elected senator in 2019 but died in March 2020. Jarigbe and fellow PDP member Stephen Odey fought in court over the ensuing by-election's PDP nomination; Odey won both initial court decisions and the by-election before taking office late in December 2020. However, Jarigbe later won several court challenges which declared him the legitimate PDP nominee and thus senator. Jarigbe took office in September 2021.
  13. ^ Nwaoboshi was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the APC in June 2021.
  14. ^ Alimikhena was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the PDP in June 2022.
  15. ^ The APC's Adedayo Clement Adeyeye was elected senator in 2019 but the NASS Election Petition Tribunal awarded and Court of Appeal affirmed the win to Olujimi. She took office in November 2019.
  16. ^ Onyewuchi was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the LP in June 2022.
  17. ^ Due to disputes over alleged irregularities, the APC's Benjamin Uwajumogu was not sworn in until July 2019. Uwajumogu died in December 2019 leading to a bye-election. After disputes, Ibezim was awarded the bye-election victory and took office in April 2021.
  18. ^ Due to disputes over the alleged forced declaration of his election, Okorocha was not sworn in until June 14, 2019.
  19. ^ Shekarau was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the NNPP in May 2022 then to the PDP in August 2022.
  20. ^ Babba Kaita was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the PDP in April 2022.
  21. ^ Aliero was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the PDP in May 2022.
  22. ^ Abdullahi was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the PDP in June 2022.
  23. ^ The PDP's Dino Melaye was elected senator in 2019 but Adeyemi petitioned against the results and the NASS Election Petition Tribunal annulled the results and called a new election. Adeyemi won the ensuing rerun election and took office in December 2019.
  24. ^ The APC's Adebayo Osinowo was elected senator in 2019 but died in June 2020. Abiru won the ensuing bye-election and took office in December 2020.
  25. ^ Akwashiki was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the SDP in July 2022.
  26. ^ The APC's David Umaru was elected senator in 2019 but the Supreme Court awarded the APC primary win to Musa making him senator. He took office in July 2019.
  27. ^ Balogun was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the APC in May 2022.
  28. ^ The APC's Ignatius Datong Longjan was elected senator in 2019 but died in February 2020. Daduut won the ensuing bye-election and took office in December 2020.
  29. ^ The APC's Abubakar Shehu Tambuwal was elected senator in 2019 but a Court of Appeal awarded the win to Abdullahi Danbaba. He took office in November 2019 as a member of the PDP but switched to the APC in April 2022.
  30. ^ Bwacha was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the APC in February 2022.
  31. ^ a b c Prior to inauguration, the APC's Zamfara votes were voided due to improper holding of party primaries. Thus the PDP runners-up took office. All three (Anka, Hassan Muhammed Gusau, Yaú) switched to the APC in June 2021. In February 2022, Muhammed Gusau resigned to become Zamfara Deputy Governor.
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