Aisha Alhassan

Aisha Jummai Al-Hassan (16 September 1959 – 7 May 2021), popularly known as Mama Taraba, was a Nigerian lawyer and politician.[1] She was appointed in 2015 to the cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari after his election until her resignation in July 2018.[2]

Aisha Alhassan
Runcie C.W. Chidebe, Executive Director, Project PINK BLUE with Sen. Aisha J. Alhassan, Minister of Women Affairs & Social Dev.; Dr. Ramatu Hassan, Rep. Minister of Health, Chidinma Ekile, Toke Makinwa, Annie Idibia at World Cancer Day
Federal Minister of Women Affairs
In office
2015 – 27 July 2018
Preceded byHajiya Zainab Maina
Senator for Taraba North
In office
May 2011 – 2015
Preceded byAnthony George Manzo
Succeeded byAbubakar Sani Danladi
Personal details
Born(1959-09-16)16 September 1959
Jalingo, Taraba State, Nigeria
Died7 May 2021(2021-05-07) (aged 61)
Cairo, Cairo Governorate, Egypt
Political partyPeople's Democratic Party (PDP)
Profession
NicknameMama Taraba

She was previously a senator, representing Taraba North senatorial district of Taraba State, Nigeria which she won under the platform of the People's Democratic Party (PDP). She later decamped to the main opposition party All Progressive Congress (APC) and became the gubernatorial candidate of the party in Taraba State for the 2015 general elections. She was defeated in the election re-run held on 25 April 2015, but on 7 November 2015 tribunal removed Taraba Governor, Darius Ishaku, declared Aisha Alhassan of the All Progressives Congress winner of 11 April 2015 poll, this was later reversed by the Appeal and Supreme Courts of Nigeria.[3][4]

She resigned as the Minister of Women Affairs of Nigeria on 27 July 2018.[5]

Early life and career

Al-Hassan was born on 16 September 1959 and was a Fulani. A lawyer by training, she became the first female to be appointed Taraba State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice. The first woman to be appointed Secretary FCT judicial council and later 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.[4]

Political career

Senate

In the January 2011 PDP primaries, Jummai defeated the incumbent senator, former Ambassador Manzo Anthony.

In the 9 April 2011 elections, Jummai won 114,131 votes, followed by Jolly Nyame of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) with 92,004 votes.[6] She was one of four women elected on the PDP ticket, the others being Nkechi Nwaogu (Abia Central), Helen Esuene (Akwa Ibom South) and Nenadi Usman (Kaduna South).[7] Following the election, she was said to have been in competition for the Senate President seat.

Gubernatorial candidacy

Alhassan contested the 2015 elections under the Platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC). She lost to the candidate of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) Darius Ishaku.[8]

In November 2015, she was declared the winner of April 2015 Taraba state gubernatorial election, and became the first woman in Nigeria to become a Governor. This judgement was later reversed by the Appeal Court, who stated that APC did not have jurisdiction over the primaries of PDP.[3][9]

She resigned from her federal appointment and decamped to UDP after she was screened out by the ruling party APC from contesting the Governorship Seat. She was unanimously declared as the candidate for March 2019 Taraba State gubernatorial election under UDP, after the other candidate stepped down in her bid.[10] She later announced her defection back to PDP after the governorship election, which was won again by Darius Ishaku of Peoples Democratic Party, as the Governor of Taraba State.[11][12]

She is widely known as "Mama Taraba", because of her increased influence in the politics of her state.[13]

Personal life

Jummai's elder brother is former Senator Abdulazeez Ibrahim[14] from 1999–2007. She actively supported the Taraba State Football Association.[15]

Death

She died in a Cairo hospital, Egypt at the age of 61 from COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic in Egypt.[16][17]

President Muhammadu Buhari and former vice president Atiku mourns Mama Taraba.In their reaction to the death, President Buhari said he is saddened, while Atiku said he is grieved by the death of the former Minister of Women Affairs.[18]

References
  1. Admin (11 November 2011). "Governor's Biography: Meet Aisha Alhassan, Nigeria's First Female Governor". Skynews24. Archived from the original on 15 November 2020. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  2. Sylvester Ugwuanyi (June 2016). "SGF leads cabinet members to pray for quick recovery of Buhari, three Ministers". dailypost.ng. Retrieved 3 November 2016.
  3. "'Maman Taraba': Is the political battle over?". dailytrust.com.ng. Archived from the original on 2016-11-04. Retrieved 3 November 2016.
  4. Jimmy Enyeh (22 January 2011). "How Aisha Jummai Al-Hassan Won PDP Taraba North Senatorial Primary". National Waves. Retrieved 2011-05-06.
  5. "Breaking: Alhassan resigns from Buhari's cabinet to vie for governorship". Vanguard. August 2018.
  6. "Collated Senate results". INEC. Archived from the original on 2011-04-19. Retrieved 2011-05-06.
  7. Olusola Balogun (May 1, 2011). "…And the women lost too". Daily Sun. Archived from the original on May 4, 2011. Retrieved 2011-05-06.
  8. "How close is Aisha's journey to Taraba govt house?". Archived from the original on 2018-06-18. Retrieved 2018-06-18.
  9. Henry Umoru (May 5, 2011). "Composition of cabinet: Mark joins Jonathan, PDP leaders in Obudu". Vanguard. Retrieved 2011-05-06.
  10. Samson Toromade. "Mama Taraba wins UDP's governorship ticket days after dumping APC". pulseng.com. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  11. Yusuf, Omotayo (September 14, 2019). "Mama Taraba finally joins Atiku in PDP, gives reasons". legit.ng. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  12. theallindianews (September 14, 2019). "Aisha Alhassan decamps to PDP". The All India News. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  13. Jerrywright Ukwu (11 November 2015). "Mama Taraba: Nigeria's Number One Women Leader". naij.com. Retrieved 3 November 2016.
  14. Emmanuel Umaru (18 April 2011). "How Woman Floored Ex-Governor Jolly Nyame In Senate Race". Leadership. Retrieved 2011-05-06.
  15. "Aisha Jummai Alhassan: Redefining the cause of women". Peoples Daily. 5 May 2012. Archived from the original on 2 February 2016. Retrieved 12 June 2012.
  16. "BREAKING: Ex-minister Aisha Al-Hassan 'Mama Taraba' is dead". Punch Newspapers. 2021-05-07. Retrieved 2021-05-07.
  17. "BREAKING: Former Women Affairs Minister, Aisha Jummai Alhassan, Is Dead". Leadership Newspaper. 2021-05-07. Retrieved 2021-05-07.
  18. "Mama Taraba is dead; Buhari, Atiku mourn | Premium Times Nigeria". 2021-05-07. Retrieved 2021-05-18.
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