The Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination and former Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala Usman, has won an online voting exercise to emerge the ‘Iconic Female Technocrat’ of the Year.
By this feat, she will clinch the coveted prize of African Iconic Women Recognition Awards (AIWRA) 2024 as Iconic Female Technocrat of the Year.
The Presidential aide grabbed 2,239 votes, representing 29% of the total votes cast to beat a former Minister of Finance and director-general of World Trade Organization (WTO), Dr. Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who came second with 2,139 votes, representing the 27% of votes cast.
Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adelifure, Abike Dabiri-Erewa and Amina J. Mohammed trailed behind with 1,672, 1,093 and 711 votes, respectively.
The voting exercise has been successfully brought to a close on Thursday, February 15, 2024.
The AIWRA is organised by Face of Democracy Nigeria (FDN) and is designed to recognise outstanding women for their contributions in peace building and national development.
Speaking shortly after releasing the preliminary results, the Project Director of FDN, Alexander Ajagbonna, better known as Fajag, expressed gratitude with the performances of all the nominees, saying they are all winners.
According to him, all the nominees did their best to mobilise their supporters to vote in the online voting exercise, noting that the popular choice went to the Ms. Hadiza Bala Usman.
Fajag said the date for the conferment of the award will be announced soon.
