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Betty Jocelyne Okagua - Apiafi (born 19 February 1962) is a Nigerian politician, economist, retired banker and educationist. Apiafi was elected to the Nigerian Senate for Rivers West Senatorial District in 2019. She has also served as a House of Representatives Member for Abua/Odual-Ahoada East Federal Constituency of Rivers State since 2007. She is a member of the People's Democratic Party (PDP).

Early life and education

Betty Jocelyne Okagua - Apiafi was born on 19 February 1962. She earned a bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of Port Harcourt and a master's degree from the Rivers State University of Science and Technology.

House of Representatives

During her tenures at the House of Representatives (2007-2019), Apiafi was a strong advocate for women affairs, education and bank sector reforms. Other women elected included Folake Olunloyo, Maimunat Adaji, Martha Bodunrin, Suleiman Oba Nimota, Mulikat Adeola Akande, Uche Lilian Ekunife, Beni Lar, Lynda Chuba-Ikpeazu, Mercy Almona-Isei, Doris Uboh, Olubimi Etteh. She sponsored several bills and undertook several assignments.

Committee memberships

This section of a biography of a living person does not include any references or sources. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living people that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately. Find sources: "Betty Apiafi" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (October 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Apiafi chaired several committees during her tenures in the House of Representatives between the years 2007 to 2019. They include:

1. Chairman House Committee on Health
2. Deputy Chairman House Committee on Diaspora
3. Member House Committee on Agriculture
4. Member House Committee On Niger Delta Development Commission
5. Member House Committee on Banking and Currency
6. Member House Committee on Electoral Matters
7. Member House Committee on National Security
8. Member House Committee on Women Affairs
9. Member House Committee on Women in Parliament
10. Member House Committee on Aviation

House assignments

This section of a biography of a living person does not include any references or sources. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living people that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately. Find sources: "Betty Apiafi" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (October 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

In 2011, Hon. Betty Apiafi was among a select number of Nigerian Parliamentarians to successfully amend the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria which was assented to by the then President of Nigeria which was assented to by the then President of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

She was also a member of the PAN African Parliament 2007–2015, leader of Delegation House of Representatives to PAN African Parliament 2011- 2015.

Senate

Betty Apiafi was elected into the Nigerian Senate of the 9th Assembly in 2019 under the People's Democratic Party. She currently represents the Rivers West Senatorial District. She is the first female member of the Nigerian House of Representative and Member of the Senate from Rivers state.

Committee memberships

This section of a biography of a living person does not include any references or sources. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living people that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately. Find sources: "Betty Apiafi" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (October 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

1. Chairman Committee on Women Affairs
2. Member Committee on Health
3. Member Committee on Legislative Compliance
4. Member Committee on Rules and Business
5. Member Committee on Petroleum (Upstream)
6. Member Committee on Interior
7. Member Committee on Environment
8. Member Committee on SDG
9. Member Committee on Banking and Other Financial Institutions
10. Member Committee on Ferma

References

1. "Senate moves to mainstream gender parity in Constitution". thenationonlineng.net. Retrieved 2022-03-18.
2. "Many male senators oppose inclusion of gender equality in Nigerian Constitution". 2020-03-11. Retrieved 2022-02-21.
3. "National Assembly compiles for review 250 laws that hamper businesses in Nigeria". Business Day. 3 May 2016. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 31 October 2017.
4. "Women who will shape Sventh National Assembly". Vanguard News. 2011-06-06. Retrieved 2020-05-03.

External links

• Betty Apiafi profile

Notes

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. ^ 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. ^ 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.

• 1962 births
• Living people
• Rivers State University alumni
• University of Port Harcourt alumni
• Peoples Democratic Party members of the House of Representatives (Nigeria)
• Members of the House of Representatives (Nigeria) from Rivers State
• Educators from Rivers State
• Women members of the House of Representatives (Nigeria)
• People from Ahoada East
• Members of the 6th National Assembly (Nigeria)
• Members of the 7th National Assembly (Nigeria)
• Members of the 8th National Assembly (Nigeria)
• Senators of the 9th National Assembly (Nigeria)