Nigeria's First Female INEC Boss?

According to the statement, the appointment is with effect from June 30, 2015 and she will remain in office until the appointment of a substantive Chairman for the Commission. President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed Mrs Amina Bala Zakari as the Acting Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) following the conclusion of the term of Office of Prof. Attahiru Jega.

The appointment of the new INEC acting chairman was disclosed in a statement signed by Haruna Imrana, Director of Communications for the Head of Civil Service of the Federation on Tuesday evening.

Born on the 23rd of June 1960, Mrs. Zakari hails from Kazaure Local Government of Jigawa State

She completed her elementary education at Shekara Girls Primary School, Kano in 1971 and proceeded to the prestigious Queens College Yaba, Lagos for her Secondary Education where she obtained her School Certificate/WASC in 1976.

In 1976, she proceed to Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria in 1976 for a degree programme. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) Degree in Pharmacy with a Second Class Upper in 1980.

Her other academic qualifications include, Certificate in Managing Drugs Supply for Primary Health Care from the International Drug Agency, MHS Amsterdam, Netherlands and a Certificate in General Management Programme, Executive Education in Business and Management, Harvard Business School (HBS) Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.

She began her professional career at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Kaduna as a Senior Pharmacist.

She also worked with Afri-Project Consortium, Abuja from 1999 to 2001, where she was also a Senior Consultant/Chief Pharmacist.

Mrs. Zakari joined the services of the Federal Capital Territory Administration in 2004, where she was one time Secretary Health and Human Services, Secretary Social Development and Acting Secretary, Agriculture and Rural Development.

Her career as a pharmacist Consultant, saw her working with the National AIDS and STDs Control Program (NASCP), Federal Ministry of Health 2002, Project Director for National Primary Health care Development Agency in 2003, Project Coordinator for FCT Federation of Muslim Women’s Organization (FOMWAN) 2003, National Consultant, National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) 2004, Lead Consultant/ Project Manager, Songhai Medical Centre Limited 2008, Consultant, Complete Medicare Limited and Accessible Managed Care Limited 2008 and Consultant, Millennium Development Goal Office 2008.

Amina Zakari is a Registered Pharmacist and Member, Pharmacist’s Society of Nigeria as well as member of Nigeria Institute of Management (NIM).

She was a National Electoral Commissioner at INEC before her appointment.