I’ve never met Mrs Aisha Buhari. Our paths did not cross when I was campaigning for her husband in 2014 and 2015. And I’ve never attended any function at which she has spoken and have only glimpsed her in the flesh once – from a great distance when the new President was being sworn in at Eagle Square last May 29 (she was in the glass VIP box, I was in an ordinary seat on the other side of the stadium). I’ve also never read any of her speeches in any publication and to cut a long story short, I know very little about the First Lady and haven’t had much interest in her. Until now!
I just LOVE feisty females and straight-talking individuals of both genders who fearlessly share their thoughts, speak their minds and tell the truth
Election victory
This week, some controversial comments she allegedly made to BBC Radio’s Hausa Language Service hit the headlines. We’re told that the full interview will be aired on a programme called “Gane Mini Hanya” tomorrow and that Madame said:That many of the people who worked hard to ensure her husband’s election victory have been abandoned; that many of the people who are currently benefitting from his Administration don’t even have voters cards (and therefore didn’t even vote for him); and that she fears that his 15 million real supporters will rebel. These comments are deemed so explosive that the BBC is said to be under intense pressure to bury them. According to the Daily Trust, the main Northern newspaper, “a source within the Abuja Bureau of the BBC [said] that there was a letter from the Presidency asking the Hausa service not to air the interview…
“…The Speaker of the House of Representative, Yakubu Dogara, according to the source, also tried to informally dissuade the BBC from airing the interview…. “A son of Buhari’s powerful nephew, Mamman Daura, is also said to have called to get the BBC not to use the interview… “However, the source told Daily Trust, the BBC wouldn’t back down on its promise to air the interview as an independent media organisation… “The source said the only condition that can make the Service not air the interview is for the interviewee, Aisha Buhari, to decide against it. Even in that case her voice recanting what she had said in the interview would be aired.”
Several talented APC loyalists who can add tremendous value have been treated very shabbily and are utterly disillusioned.
I just LOVE feisty females and straight-talking individuals of both genders who fearlessly share their thoughts, speak their minds and tell the truth. Too many public personalities are too fond of lies, cowardice, hypocrisy and double-speak. And it’s refreshing to hear someone in such a lofty position say it like it is. Several talented APC loyalists who can add tremendous value have been treated very shabbily and are utterly disillusioned.
For the record, I am not one of those who was praying for a political appointment and I’m very aware of the fact that no Head of State can please everyone who helped him reach the heady heights. Let’s face it: Buhari will never be able to empower 15 million people, directly or indirectly. But some of the folks who surround him and wield enormous power do NOT deserve to be there. And their failure to contribute much or anything to his election victory is not the only reason why they should be dumped. I’m saying that they should be dumped because they are incompetent, unpleasant, cabalistic and part of Mr President’s problem.
And some of them have lousy reputations and are widely suspected of rampant corruption Within a year of assuming office, most of the goodwill Buhari enjoyed at his swearing-in had drained away, largely because he is being ill-advised and poorly represented by those who pretend to have his best interests at heart, but are in reality enemies of progress who are pursuing their own selfish agendas. I hear that there is a social media group that is sarcastically begging Buhari to return the country to where he found it last May 29. And I know from my interactions with several Nigerians that many of the people who felt that President Jonathan wasn’t doing well are now missing President Jonathan.
The tragedy is that Buhari CAN do much better if he takes advice from the right people and quits allowing himself to be captured by the wrong people
Pretty damning indictments
Such reactions to Buhari’s presidency are pretty damning indictments. And the tragedy is that Buhari CAN do much better if he takes advice from the right people and quits allowing himself to be captured by the wrong people. He already has some good people on his team. He now needs to make sure that these good people become more influential than the bad ones. He should also bring in some fresh faces that can take him and Nigeria forward. Anyway, many disgruntled APC stalwarts are applauding Mrs B’s courage; and I now find her absolutely fascinating and hope (assuming that she hasn’t been misquoted or quoted out of context) that she doesn’t recant!!!
Too many senior Nigerians lack integrity and shame; and we MUST stop the rot.
Judges
So much has been said about the judges who were arrested last weekend by the DSS. And opinions are sharply divided. There are those who think that it’s fine to kick judges’ doors down in the middle of the night and those who think that such Gestapo tactics are outrageous. I belong to the latter group. But I must stress that I DO firmly believe that any judge who is proven to have taken bribes should be punished severely. Too many senior Nigerians lack integrity and shame; and we MUST stop the rot. But I do hope that dodgy pro-APC judges get the same treatment as dodgy pro-PDP judges!
Editor’s Note: This article was first published in VANGUARD titled Feisty First LadyT
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