Patricia Etteh

Infobox Officeholder
honorific-prefix =
name =Patricia Olubunmi Foluke Etteh
honorific-suffix =


imagesize =
small

caption =
order =
office =Representative for Ayedaade/Isokan/Irewole
term_start =2007
term_end =
office2 =Speaker of the House of Representatives of Nigeria
term_start2 =June 6, 2007
term_end2 =October 30, 2007
deputy2 =Babangida Nguroje
predecessor2 =Aminu Bello Masari
successor2 =Dimeji Bankole
constituency =Ayedaade/Isokan/Irewole
majority =
birth_date =August 17, 1953
birth_place =
party =AD, then PDP
spouse =Married
relations =
children =Two
residence =Isale Popo, Ikire
alma_mater =
profession =Hairdresser, beauty therapist & politician

Patricia Olubunmi Foluke Etteh (born August 17, 1953)cite web |url= http://www.tribune.com.ng/15082007/news/news2.html |title= Etteh moves birthday party to US |accessdate=2007-08-15 |work= Nigerian Tribune online |publisher=African Newspapers of Nigeria |date=2007-08-15] was the Speaker of Nigeria's House of Representatives frome June until October 2007.

Personal life and education

Etteh, a Yoruba [cite news |first=Yemi |last=Bamidele |title= Adedibu - 'Etteh is Yorubas' Only Hope' |url= http://allafrica.com/stories/200709190511.html|work=Daily Trust |publisher=Media Trust Limited, via allAfrica.com |date=2007-09-19 |accessdate=2007-10-20 ] , was born on August 17, 1953. She is married with two children.cite web |url= http://www.nassnig.org/House/Personaldata/Osun/etteh.htm |title=Honourable Patricia Etteh |accessdate=2007-10-07 |work=NassNig.org|publisher=National Assembly of Nigeria ] She is a hairdressercite news |first=Paul |last=Odili |title=Why Etteh should stand down |url= http://www.vanguardngr.com/articles/2002/viewpoints/vp126092007.html|work=Vanguard |publisher= Vanguard Media|date=2007-09-26 |accessdate=2007-10-07 ] and beauty therapist by training, and has received a diploma in law from University of Abuja.

Political career

Etteh represents Osun State's Ayedaade/Isokan/Irewole constituency. She was initially elected in 1999 as an Alliance for Democracy (AD) member, but switched to the People's Democratic Party (PDP) when running for re-election in 2003. She was elected to the position of speaker unanimously in June 2007, and is the only woman to have held this position in the Nigerian government.cite web |url= http://odili.net/news/source/2007/jun/6/609.html|title= Mark, Etteh, emerge Senate President, Speaker |accessdate=2007-08-15 |work= IndependentNGonline.com |publisher=Daily Independent|date=2007-06-06]

Corruption scandal

In September 2007, she faced a committee of MPs over accusations that she had authorised the spending of 628 million Naira (about US$5 million) on renovations of her official residence and that of her deputy's and the purchase of 12 official cars meant for the House of Representatives. Accusations of theft were chanted at her as she tried to speak in the House, and she was escorted out by security as the situation degenerated into a commotion, [cite news |title=Nigerian MPs brawl over speaker |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7005402.stm |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC |date= 2007-09-20|accessdate=2007-10-14 ] though she has not been officially indicted.

The PDP officially continued to back Etteh, although some members, such as Isyaku Ibrahim, criticised this stance. [cite news |first=Atang |last=Izang |title= Etteh - PDP Endorsed Corruption - Isyaku Ibrahim |url= http://allafrica.com/stories/200710081257.html |work=Leadership |publisher=Leadership Newspapers Group, via allAfrica.com |date=2007-10-07 |accessdate=2007-10-14 ] Author and academic Wole Soyinka was among those who called for her resignation, [cite news |first=Geoffrey |last= Ekenna |title= Resign, Soyinka tells Etteh |url= http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art200710053233623|work=The Punch |publisher= |date=2007-10-05 |accessdate=2007-10-07 ] while former President and PDP member Olusegun Obasanjo continued to support her. [cite news |first=Philip |last=Nyam|title= Etteh: Countdown To October 16 |url=http://www.leadershipnigeria.com/product_info.php?products_id=15208 |work=Leadership |publisher=Leadership Newspapers Group |date= |accessdate=2007-10-14 ]

On 30 October, following weeks of pressure, Etteh resigned her position as speaker. [ [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/10/30/africa/AF-GEN-Nigeria-Corruption.php "Nigeria's parlimentary speaker quits over corruption scandal"] , Associated Press ("International Herald Tribune"), 30 October 2007.] Her deputy, Babangida Nguroje, also resigned. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7069654.stm "Nigeria speaker goes in graft row"] , BBC News, 30 October 2007.]

References