Mixed reactions trail Buhari’s comment on first lady’s office A senior Advocate of Nigeria Abubakar Malami (SAN) has commended the Presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) retired General Muhammadu Buhari for declaring that he would not have an office for the first lady if elected in next year’s election. Malami, in a telephone chat with Daily Trust yesterday said that Buhari’s stand was a clear confirmation of an intention to uphold the rule of law and constitutionality. In a Daily Trust story on Friday titled “I won’t have office for first lady-Buhari” the APC presidential candidate said there is no office of the first lady in the Nigerian constitution. He however said that women would play an important role in his administration. Malami described Buhari’s statement as a proclamation in the right direction which points to the direction the APC presidential candidate intends to operate. “In our Constitution, there is no clear provision that establish the office of First Lady. There is no statutory backing for it, after the Ministry for Women Affairs and so the office of first Lady is unconstitutional and arbitrary,” Malami said. According to him, “Buhari intends to operate a government that is based on the constitution and due compliance with the rule of law”. However, a public affairs commentator, Tom Obulu, said that Buhari’s statement portrayed an anti-women policy in Nigeria and a reversal of the achievements of affirmative action on gender progression. He said that women may consider not voting for him adding that “Buhari should follow global trend by allowing his wife to play the first lady’s role even symbolically.” The existence of the office of the first Lady, Obulu said, is a commonsensical matter, not a constitutional one. However the First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan on Saturday described Buhari’s statement as a bid by opposition politicians to scrap the office of the First Lady which would amount to sending the Nigerian women back to the kitchen. Speaking at a reception organized for her by the Ohuhu community, Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State, she told women not to vote for any politician who doesn’t respect women. According to her, the office of the first lady has been an avenue for mobilizing women for mass participation in politics adding that “it is not our portion to go back to the kitchen. We have women that are capable. We can contribute our quota to the development of Nigeria.” google.be/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCIQqQIwAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthisdaylive%2Farticles%2Flamido-accuses-buhari-of-divisive-campaigns%2F197882%2F&ei=uFmhVKiSE4faON7CgYAI&usg=AFQjCNHSrXD8f1TlnGAUm6j45kfJetp3LA&bvm=bv.82001339,d.ZWU
Posted on: Mon, 29 Dec 2014 13:47:50 +0000
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