Politics

Why I threatened not to support my husband for 2nd term — Aisha Buhari

Wife of President Muhammadu Buhari, Aisha on Saturday, opened up on why she publicly criticize her husband and threatened to withdraw support for his 2nd term bid.
The first lady alluded her decision to her “sense of justice, .saying it was not intended to confront or disrespect the president in anyway.
She stated this in her acceptance letter to Vanguard Newspaper which made her its person of the year.
Mrs Buhari drew worldwide attention when she criticised her husband in an interview with the BBC in October 2016, saying she feared his administration was veering from its mandate to the people.
The first lady also expressed doubt that she would support him if he seeks re-election unless he implemented immediate changes in personnel and policies.
“He is yet to tell me —if he’ll seek re-election— but I have decided as his wife, that if things continue like this up to 2019, I will not go out and campaign again and ask any woman to vote like I did before,” Mrs. Buhari warned. “I will never do it again.”
Mr Buhari responded at the time by telling her to save her opinion of his government and confine herself to the kitchen, sparking biting ridicule from the public.
Nearly two years on, Mr Buhari has commenced his re-election campaign, but yet to effect the cabinet shake-up demanded by his wife.
Mrs Buhari had said the shake-up was necessary to encourage those who worked fervently to actualise her husband’s victory in 2015.
In her acceptance statement to Vanguard, Mrs Buhari did not say whether her expectations have been met, but indicated she would support his re-election bid. But as recently as January, she re-circulated videos of senators who delivered scathing review of her husband’s performance in office.
“One of the reasons adduced for honouring me was the interview I granted which some people saw as criticism to a government that I am part of,” she was quoted as saying in the statement circulated by her media aide Suleiman Haruna. “I need to state that my position was a result of my sense of justice and not confrontation or disrespect. I was brought up to stand by the truth and this is how I have always been,”
“As we are all aware, Nigerians elected this administration based on the trust and confidence they have on my husband.
“I therefore feel that we are here to serve Nigeria to the best of our ability. Let me use this opportunity to state that I support my husband in this call to service and will continue to do so,” she added.


…PMB meets Tinubu in London

President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday received leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, in London.
The duo met behind closed doors at the Abuja House in London, according to a tweet by a presidential aide.
The President’s Personal Assistant on Social Media, Alhaji Bashir Ahmad, made this known on his tweeter handle, @BashirAhmad, in Abuja.
The presidential aide posted: “President Muhammadu Buhari receives National leader of our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu (Jagaban) today in London.”
President Buhari, who is on official visit to London had on Wednesday met with the Archbishop of Canterbury, His Grace Justin Welby in London where he explained why he declared his intention to run for another term in office.
President Buhari had on April 9, 2018, during the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) declared his intention to seek re-election in 2019.
“I declared before leaving home because Nigerians were talking too much about whether I would run or not.
“So, I felt I should break the ice. We have many things to focus on, like security, agriculture, economy, anti-corruption, and many others.
“We needed to concentrate on them, and politics should not be a distraction.
“The majority of Nigerians appreciate what we are doing, and that is why I am re-contesting,” President Buhari told the Archbishop.
While in Britain, the president is billed to hold discussions on Nigeria – British relations with Prime Minister Mrs Theresa May, prior to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings scheduled for April 18 to 20.
A presidential spokesman Garba Shehu had earlier disclosed that: “The President will also meet the Chief Executive Officer of Royal Dutch Plc, Mr Ben van Beurden in connection with Shell and other partners’ plan to invest $15b in Nigeria’s oil industry


…youths should be given opportunity to take over – IBB

As 2019 approaches, former military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (Rtd) has called on the Federal Government to avail the younger generation to take a shot at governance.
The former head of state stressed that the time is ripe for the youth to take over power.
Babangida, who received a delegation of YES Nigeria Movement led by its Convener, Ali Soyode in his Minna home, Niger State, called on Nigerians to embrace the ideology of the movement which sought to ensure that credible candidates were allowed to oversee the political affairs of the country.
He reminded the delegation that they were privileged to have served their fatherland at a younger age and that such opportunity should be provided for new generation of leaders, especially in today’s modern global competitiveness.
Babangida reiterated the need for electorate to get their voting documentations in order to play their role in the governance of the country.
The former Military President applauded the leadership of the movement for the great works it had achieved, especially in the areas of educating the electorate on their democratic and political rights and also supporting existing parties.
YES Nigeria Movement Convener, Soyode in his speech, said the aim of establishing the movement was born out of his desire to see a better political and democratic system, educating the electorate of their power to elects, call to accountability of the elected and having right people in government through the exercise of their votes.
He maintained that the country was due for younger generations, team workers, patriotic leaders and those wishing to form alliance for the benefits of Nigerians to lead and have the elders as the advisory council

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