Professor Nkem Akunyili, former Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), and former minister of information has passed. Akunyili, aged 59, died on Saturday in an Indian hospital where she was receiving treatment after her health depreciated few days into the commencement of the National Conference where she is a member. Dora Nkem Akunyili, born July 14, 1954 in Makurdi, Benue State, was also the Minister of Information and Communications in the country between December 17, 2008 and December 15, 2010.
Akunyili resigned her appointment as minister of information and ran for election as Senator for Anambra Central on the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) platform in April 2011 but was defeated by Chris Ngige of the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), now All Progressives Congress (APC). She immediately sent a petition to the Independent National Electoral Commission disputing the result.
