Daisy Ehanire Danjuma (born 6 August 1952) is a Nigerian politician who was the senator representing the Edo South Senatorial District of

Edo State Edo State, Edo, officially known as Edo State, is a States of Nigeria, state in the South South, South-South Geopolitical zones of Nigeria, geopolitical zone of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. As of 2024, the state was ranked as the List of Ni ...

at the

Nigerian Senate The Senate is the upper chamber of Nigeria's bicameral legislature, the National Assembly. The National Assembly (popularly referred to as NASS) is the nation's legislature and has the power to make laws, as summarized in chapter one, sectio ...

from 2003 to 2007. She also re-contested during the Nigeria general election in 2011 but was unsuccessful.

Early life

Daisy Ehanire Danjuma was born on the 6 August 1952 in

Benin City Benin City serves as the Capital city, capital and largest Metropolitan area, metropolitan centre of Edo State, situated in Nigeria, southern Nigeria. It ranks as the List of Nigerian cities by population, fourth-most populous city in Niger ...

, Edo State, Nigeria. She was the fourth of eight children in her family. She grew up with her aunt who married a police officer in Benin City.

Education and career

Danjuma attended government secondary school in Benin city, Edo state, before studying at

Ahmadu Bello University The Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) is a public research university located in Zaria, Nigeria, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria. It was opened in 1962 as the University of Northern Nigeria. The university has four colleges, three schools, 18 faculties, ...

Zaria Zaria is a List of Nigerian cities by population, metropolitan city in Nigeria, located at present time within four local government areas in Kaduna State. It serves as the capital of the Zazzau Emirate Council and is one of the original sev ...

, where she graduated with a BA in Law in 1976. In 1977, she was called to the

Nigerian Bar The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) is a non-profit, umbrella professional association of lawyers admitted to the Bar by the Council of Legal Education in Nigeria. It is engaged in the promotion and protection of human rights, the rule of law and ...

as a practising lawyer. Danjuma undertook her national service in the NYSC as a State Counsel with the Ministry of Justice of

Lagos State Lagos State (, ) is a States of Nigeria, state in South West, Nigeria. Of the 36 States of Nigeria, Nigerian states, Lagos is the second List of Nigerian states by population, most populous state but the List of Nigerian states by area, smallest ...

, and was a legal counsel to the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria. She worked as an Executive Assistant at Nigerian Acceptances Limited (NAL), a Merchant Bank, from 1977 to 1978. She was Company Secretary/Legal Adviser to the

Nigerian Television Authority The Nigerian Television Authority or NTA is a Nigerian government-owned and partly commercial broadcast station. Originally known as Nigerian Television (NTV), it was inaugurated in 1977 with a monopoly on national television broadcasting, after ...

(NTA) from 1982 to 1992.

Politics

Danjuma's political career began when her husband got relocated to Port Harcourt and became a minister of Abuja. After meeting their neighbor, Chief

Bola Ige Chief James Ajibola Idowu Ige ( ; 13 September 1930 – 23 December 2001), popularly known as Bola Ige, was a Nigerian lawyer and politician. He served as Federal Minister of Justice of Nigeria from January 2000 until his assassination in De ...

, she decided to represent Edo South in the Senate. In the

2003 Nigerian parliamentary election Parliamentary elections were held in Nigeria on 12 April 2003. The result was a victory for the ruling People's Democratic Party, which won 76 of the 109 Senate seats and 223 of the 360 House seats. Voter turnout was 50%.elected Elected may refer to: * "Elected" (song), by Alice Cooper, 1973 * ''Elected'' (EP), by Ayreon, 2008 *The Elected, an American indie rock band See also *Election An election is a formal group decision-making process whereby a population ch ...

senator to represent Edo South constituency of

at the Nigerian National Assembly from 2003 to 2007 under the

Action Congress Party The Action Congress Party (ACP) was a political party in Ghana during the Third Republic (1979-1981). In elections held on 18 June 1979, ACP presidential candidate, Frank Bernasko, won 9.4% of the vote and the party won 10 of 140 seats in the N ...

(AC). As a senator she served as the Chairman, Senate Committee on Women Affairs and Youth Development, Member, Senate Committees on Health, Education, Finance and Land Transport of the National Assembly. Being a senator from Nigeria gave Danjuma the opportunity to be a member of the

Commonwealth Parliamentary Association The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), previously known as the Empire Parliamentary Association, is an organisation which works to support good governance, democracy and human rights. In 1989 the patron of the CPA was the Head ...

(CPA). She has also served as Chairman, Women and Child Right Committee of the

Economic Community of West African States The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS; also known as CEDEAO in French and Portuguese) is a regional political and economic union of twelve countries of West Africa. Collectively, the present and former members comprise an area ...

(ECOWAS Parliament). Danjuma contested for second tenure for her senate office during the 2011 Nigeria general election but was unsuccessful and defeated by Ehigie Edobor Uzamere with a margin of almost double of her votes; by 135,346 votes to 70,725. And this shows Uzamere successfully for reelection in the April 2011 elections for the Edo South Senatorial District. After a series of appeals, in June 2009, the court of appeal ruled that Uzamere had in fact been duly elected.

Personal life

Danjuma is married to the former Nigerian military general and minister of defence of Nigeria,

Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma (born 9 December 1938) is a Nigerian politician and retired lieutenant general who played a key role in post-independence military and political events in Nigeria. Danjuma amassed an enormous fortune through shipping ...

founder of the oil exploration company, South Atlantic Petroleum. Together they have one child.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Danjuma, Daisy 1952 births Living people Senators of the 5th National Assembly (Nigeria) Nigerian women business executives Edo State politicians Nigerian women in politics Ahmadu Bello University alumni Danjuma family