The Deputy Governor of the state is the second-highest government official of the state who acts as the governor in the absence of the governor. The Deputy Governor is selected as a running-mate by the gubernatorial nominee committee of a party after the primary elections. City People’s Reporter, Iretiogo Oloyede, reveals 4 Female Deputy Governors we hardly talk about:-
NOIMOT SALAKO-OYEDELE, OGUN DEPUTY GOVERNOR
Noimot Salako-Oyedele is a Public Health Engineer and Real Estate professional. She has been serving as the Deputy Governor of Ogun State in Nigeria since 2019. She emerged the Deputy Governor after winning the 2019 Ogun State gubernatorial election along side Dapo Abiodun, on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC).
Noimot Salako was born on 8 January, 1966 to the family of the late Prof. Lateef Akinola Salako and Mrs Rahmat Adebisi Salako. She hails from Aworiland, Ota, in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State. Her father was an academic, who was a professor emeritus of pharmacology and therapeutics at the University of Ibadan.
She holds a master’s degree in Public Health Engineering from the Imperial College of Science & Technology London, UK, a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Lagos.
Salako-Oyedele started her career when she was in the United Kingdom, where she served as a Graduate Engineer and Project Manager at Ove Arup & Partners between 1989 and 1995. She also served as a Managing Director, NOS Nigeria Limited, between 1995 and 2014. She became the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer between 2014 and 2015 at Glenwood Property Development Company Limited, where she served as General Manager Business Development. She became the Acting Managing Director, Grenadines Homes Limited in 2015, a position she held till she ventured into partisan-politics and emerged the Ogun State Deputy Governorship candidate in
March 2019, she was elected by the people of Ogun State to serve with His Excellency, Prince Dapo Abiodun.
LOLO EZEILO, ENUGU DEPUTY GOVERNOR
Lolo Ezeilo is the First Female Deputy Governor of Enugu State since its creation in 1991. And the first female to represent Ezeagu Constituency in the Enugu State House of Assembly since its creation.
She is a lawyer by profession. She earlier worked in the Enugu State Broadcasting Service (ESBS) as a programme producer and presenter before joining active politics. She was elected into Enugu State House of Assembly representing Ezeagu Constituency in 2011. She was the Deputy Chief Whip and House Committee Chairman on Judiciary, Ethics and Privilages.
As a result of her effective representation, she was re-nominated for a second tenure in office. Shortly after her re-nomination, Rt Hon. Ifeanyichukwu Ugwuanyi picked her as his running mate in the 2015 gubernatorial election on the platform of People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
As a law maker, she sponsored a Bill on people with special needs, moved a motion on importance of Driving Licence and reviving some of moribund industries- Cashew Industry in Oghe, Ezeagu.
She is a strong supporter of women transformation agenda in Enugu State, which if ultimately realized, would elevate women in the state from domestic chores to a totally economically emancipated class in the society.
while she was in the State House of Assembly, she adopted Alternative Dispute Resolution Mechanism (ADRM) as a procedure which was seen as a better and faster method of resolving public issue petitions sent to her Committee. It was on record that her mature approach to issues during her sojourn in the House of Assembly, made the legislature and the judiciary to experience co-operation the state.
Lolo Cecelia Ezeilo, was born in Amokwe, Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State. She was married to His Royal Highness, Igwe Barr. Malachy Ezeilo (Ezeanyanwu), of blessed memory.
IPALIBO GOGO BANIGO RIVERS DEPUTY GOVERNOR
Ipalibo Gogo Banigo born on 20 December, 1952, is a Medical Doctor, politician and the first female Deputy Governor of Rivers State. A member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), she has held various important offices at the Rivers State Ministry of Health. During her service, she assumed the positions of Director of Public Health Services, Acting Commissioner, Director-General and Permanent Secretary. She achieved prominence first in 1995, as Secretary to the Government of Rivers State before serving as Head of Service of the state. In December 2014, Ezenwo Wike selected her as his running mate in the 2015 election. She was elected Deputy Governor and assumed office on 29 May 2015.
Banigo started her career at the Rivers State Port Health Service, where she served as a Registrar of Births and Senior Medical Officer-in-charge. She was a honorary consultant dermatologist at the University of Port Harcourt, after which she became principal of Rivers State School of Health Technology in 1985. During her time at the Rivers State Ministry of Health, she held five responsible offices, including Director of Public Health Services, Acting Commissioner, Director-General and Permanent Secretary. On 5 October 1995, Banigo was appointed Secretary to the government of Rivers State, which she maintained until 5 July 1999. She further served for five months, from May 1998, as Head of Service of Rivers State.
After retirement, she continued to provide professional services and was later made Public Health Adviser of the Shell Petroleum Development Company in Nigeria. Additionally, she held the offices of both Executive Director and Secretary at the National Primary Health Care Development Agency. She is a member are Governing Council of University of Calabar, Governing Board of University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Rivers State Food and Nutrition Committee, Rivers State Hospital Management Board and Reference Board. She was also appointed Project Director of UNFPA, UNICEF and Chairman of the Rivers State Relief Committee.
On April 29, 2021. She was among the Health Consultants present at a colloquium organised by St Racheal’s Pharmaceuticals, Nigeria to commemorate 2021 World Malaria Day held in Lagos where she presented some of the strategies on how to achive Zero-Malaria environment in Nigeria in the next 10 years. On September 20, 2020, she became the Chairperson of seven-man panel inaugurated by Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, to activate some moribund health facilities in the state.
HADIZA SABUWA BALARABE, KADUNA DEPUTY GOVERNOR
Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe is a politician and a medical doctor by profession. She is the deputy governor of Kaduna State. She is the first female Deputy Governor of the state. She was elected in the 2019 governorship election in February on the platform of the ruling political party in Nigeria APC.
On 15 October, 2019, as acting Governor, she presented the Kaduna State Government’s 2020 Budget of Renewal to the Kaduna State House of Assembly thereby becoming the first woman in Northern Nigeria to do so.
Balarabe was born into the family of Alhaji Abubakar Balarabe in Sanga local government area of Kaduna State. She attended Girls College Soba for her secondary education. She then got admission into the prestigious University of Maiduguri to study Medicine and graduated with MBBS in 1986.
