By Akinwale Kasali
This is double tragedy for the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
The Party, yet to come to terms with its defeat in the Osun State Governorship Election to the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, has lost one of its strong chieftains and Woman Leader, Kemi Nelson.
Nelson was a Member of the Lagos State Governors’ Advisory Council, GAC, and an Executive Director at the Nigerian Insurance Social Trust Fund, NSITF.
As at the time of filing this report, the cause of her death was yet to be ascertained.
The Late Nelson was born in Lagos on 9th February 1956 in Lagos State, she attended Anglican Girls Grammar School, Ijebu-Ode for her secondary education.
For her tertiary education, she attended school of Nursing in the University College Hospital Ibadan where she qualified as a registered Nurse and Midwife. She got an MBA in Financial Management and a Diploma in Law from the Lagos State University Ojo.
In the 1980s, Nelson joined the now defunct National Republican Convention (NRC) during the regime of General Ibrahim Babangida. She was the senatorial candidate for the Lagos West Senatorial district in 1992 but was defeated at the polls by Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In 1998, during the regime of General Abacha, she contested for the Ikeja Federal Constituency in the House of Assembly. This time, as a member of UNCP. She won the election but it was truncated by the death of General Abacha.
In 1999, she joined the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and from 1999 to 2003, she served as the Lagos State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation during the tenure of Bola Ahmed Tinubu and had served as the Women Leader of Lagos State Chapter of The All Progressives Congress (APC). She was later appointed the South West Women Leader of APC.
She is the only female serving member of the Lagos State Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC).
She previously headed the Ministry of Establishment, Training and Job Creation.
