Career
Akwashiki earned a Bachelor in Education from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1982. She entered the banking industry, where she became a senior manager. She was elected to the 5th Assembly (2003–2007) of the House of Representatives on the People"s Democratic Party (PDP) platform.
After taking her seat in the Senate in May 2007, Akwashiki was appointed to committees on States & Local Government, Inter-Parliamentary Affairs, Communications, Banking, Insurance & Other Financial Institutions and Women and Youth.
In a mid-term evaluation of Senators in May 2009, ThisDay noted that she sponsored a bill to amend the Code of Conduct Bureau and contributed brilliantly to debate in plenary and committee assignments. In January 2010 she returned to the PDP, citing injustice and insensitivity of the ANPP national secretariat and factional infighting in the state chapter of the party as reasons.
In March 2015, President Goodluck Jonathan appointed Senator Patricia Akwashiki as the Minister of Information.