MEMBERS of President Muhammadu Buhari’s kitchen cabinet have decided the scrap the office of the first lady in response to the constant criticism levelled at them by Hadjia Aisha Buhari the president’s wife.
Over the last Hadjia Buhari has been in a constant state of war with the members of her husband’s kitchen cabinet including the likes of Abba Kyari, Mamman Daura, Isa Funtua, Babagana Kingibe and Boss Mustapha. She has constantly accused them of running their own government and taking decisions without letting her husband or the federal executive council or cabinet know about them.
Last week, things came to a head when they authorised men of the Department of State Security (DSS) to storm an Abuja courtroom to arrest Sahara Reporters publisher Omoyele Sowore. This action has attracted widespread international condemnation but as a result of Hadjia Buhari also joining the criticism, Mamman Daura, President Buhari’s nephew has given out orders that the office of the first lady be scrapped.
Hadjia Buhari has alleged that Mr Daura ordered President Buhari’s spokesperson, Garba Shehu to scrap the office of the first lady without the president’s knowledge. She, however, stated that despite scrapping that office, she has been able to raise funds to run her humanitarian programmes.
Hadjia Buhari’s said: “Mr Shehu was privy and part of the plan and its execution and he was shocked when he realised that I had publicised my return to Nigeria on October 12, 2019 and cleared the air on the many rumours that took over social media, a job he was supposed to do but kept mute to cause more confusion and instability for his principal and his family. Garba then, vented his anger on the National Television Authority management insisting that the media crew to my office must be sacked.
“He succeeded in getting them suspended for doing their job. I had to intervene to save the innocent staff from losing their means of livelihood by involving the DSS in order to ascertain roles played by key actors in the saga.
”It is at this late hour that I recall, sadly, that it was the same Garba Shehu who claimed that the government will not allow the office of the first lady to run. He was later to confirm to one of my aides that he was instructed to say so by Mamman Daura and not the president.
“This antic attracted the anger of Nigerian women as he didn’t realise the fact that the first lady’s office is a tradition which has become an institution. Today, even without a budget, I am able to run my humanitarian programmes and in saner climes, Garba Shehu would have resigned immediately after going beyond his boundaries and powers.”
