Aisha Buhari Makes U-Turn, Backs Husband’s Govt.

By Ebitonye Akpodigha

Mrs Aisha Buhari, wife of Nigeria’s President, Mr Muhammadu Buhari, has made a U-turn, declaring publicly her support for her husband’s government after she had criticised him in an interview she granted the BBC Hausa Service few weeks ago.

In the controversial interview, Mrs Buhari had claimed that a cabal was in charge of President’s government and that these ‘few people’ were doing things against the manifesto of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) party, which brought her husband to power in 2015.

She even said if things continued the way they were, she will not campaign for the President in 2019, when Nigerians will return to the poll to elect their leaders.

Her interview with the BBC forced Mr Buhari to say his wife belonged to the “kitchen, living room and the other room,” while standing beside German Chancellor, Angela Merkel in Berlin during a press conference.

But at a function on Thursday in Borno, Mrs Buhari said she was glad her husband’s administration had started to fulfil some of the campaign promises.

“On our campaign promises to Nigerians, especially to the people of Borno State, we thank Almighty Allah for giving us the opportunity of beginning to fulfil these promises.

“That is the essence of being a good leader; when you promise, you try to fulfil your promises.

“That is what we are all after. And what I am after in particular is the success of my husband’s administration. And we can’t do it alone, except with the help of the Governors, their wives and members of our progressive party (APC) and all Nigerians,” the President’s wife said when she distributed relief materials to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Kaga, Borno State.

Mrs Buhari, who arrived the Maiduguri International Airport at about 12 noon, was received by the wife of Borno State Governor, Mrs Nana Shettima.

She also visited one of the liberated towns in Borno, Benisheik, where she distributed materials too.

Mrs Buhari was in Borno on Thursday to flag off the distribution of relief items to displaced women through her Get Involved initiative, a sub-component of her pet project, Future Assured, which was launched in August 2016.

Governor of Borno State, Mr Kashim Shettima, who was also on ground to receive the President’s wife, thanked her for the kind gesture. He described Mrs Buhari as “our mother (who) has shown so much love and affection to Borno State.