…says we warned Buhari not to appoint her minister
Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State has accused the embattled Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Senator Aisha Alhassan of voting former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar against President Muhammadu Buhari in the then All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential primaries held in the build up to the 2015 general elections.
El-Rufai noted further that the leadership of the party warned President Buhari against appointing Alhassan as a minister because she has never hidden her loyalty to the former Vice President.
The governor said this while speaking with State House Correspondents at the Villa on Friday.
…Says if Buhari decides to contest in 2019, I’ll still support Atiku
…as other cabinet members kick
A video of Minister of Women Affairs, Senator Aisha Alhassan (popularly called Mama Taraba) endorsing former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar for the 2019 presidential race has gone viral.
TheNewsGuru.com reports that Alhassan, who led a delegation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) team from Taraba State to Atiku later told the BBC Hausa Service categorically that she would dump President Muhammadu Buhari under whom she is recently serving as minister for Atiku should Buhari show interest in contesting the 2019 presidential elections.
Alhassan who spoke in native Hausa language in the video told Atiku: “Mr President, our father, Nigeria’s president for 2019, God willing, in your presence today are your people who have been placed under your care for forever.”
TheNewsGuru.com reports that Alhassan’s statement has since sparked reactions amongst other cabinet members who saw Alhassan guts as an act of disloyalty to her present leader, President Muhammadu Buhari.
Speaking anonymously because of the sensitivity of the matter, a minister said: “Some of us called her when the video went viral and she confirmed the comments attributed to her.
“To me, I think it is like passing a vote of no confidence on your boss. I think it is untidy to write off your boss as incompetent to continue in office.”
Another source in the cabinet said: “I am not surprised; it is typical of the Minister of Women Affairs. But the ideal thing is to leave and pursue your career. This development might affect our unity in the cabinet. Some will certainly not trust her again.”
Another minister said: “She shocked me because I used to think she is closer to the President. What you cannot dispute is that the President has never hidden his respect for her. She was away from the cabinet for months when she was ill and the President tolerated her absence. She should have chosen a different approach to it because one good turn deserves another.”
A government official said he suspected “a script”. It might not be only her. Maybe she is flying a kite,” he said, pleading not to be named.
Also, an APC stalwart, who also spoke in confidence, said: “I think she is kick-starting 2019 politics. I could see cracks in the coalition which formed the APC.”
TheNewsGuru.com reports that the presidency has not issued any official statement concerning the clip.
However, a source in the Presidency said: “The President has just come back from Daura and he is just settling down. Actually, there is nothing to say.
“The Minister of Women Affairs has confirmed to BBC that she made the comments. What else do you want the presidency to say?”
In an interview with the BBC, the minister said: “Atiku is my godfather even before I joined politics.” She spoke in Hausa. “And again, Baba Buhari did not tell us that he is going to run in 2019.
“Let me tell you today that if Baba said he is going to contest in 2019, I swear to Allah, I will go before him and kneel down and tell him that ‘Baba I am grateful for the opportunity you gave me to serve your government as a minister but Baba just like you know I will support only Atiku because he is my godfather. If Atiku said he is going to contest.”
“If because of what I said I am sacked, it will not bother me because I believe in Allah that my time has elapsed, that is why…
“Baba is not a mad man like those calling for my sack. They have been sending it and spreading that if Baba sees this I will be sacked.”
The Minister of Women Affairs, Senator Jummai Alhassan on Monday paid a courtesy visit to the Chairman, National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Ahmed Makarfi at the National Headquarters of the party.
While receiving the Minister, Makarfi noted that she performed well in her portfolio because she was trained and bred by the PDP.
In his words: “I am not very surprised that you are doing well because you were trained and brought up by the PDP.”
Advocating the party’s support for women’s participation in politics, Makarfi said the PDP would support the enactment of a law in support of the gender parity in politics and participation in governance.
He said, “If it is in compliance with the law, everybody will comply, but if you leave it flexible, it is an escapist route. Forget about the nomination form, pay and get the ticket. Let us do the right thing.”
He also made a case for consideration of the women’s move to secure legislation backing the 35 per cent affirmative action on women participation in politics and government in the ongoing constitutional amendment process.
Earlier, the minister had asked political parties to adopt a policy of voluntary electoral party gender quota system as a means of guaranteeing more participation of the womenfolk in politics and governance.
She described the initiative as a deliberate strategy of earmarking constituencies solely for female candidates during an election.
Alhassan lamented that Nigeria remained one of the most backward and poor performing countries on the African continent, in the area of women’s political participation and leadership.
She said, “Although the Nigerian Constitution guarantees equality for everyone in all spheres, women have not enjoyed this constitutional right. As a result, we have been overtaken by countries like Rwanda with 66 per cent women’s representation in parliament, South Africa with 40 per cent, Seychelles over 50 per cent, Ghana, 35 per cent and a large chunk of the other African countries with over 25 per cent.
“Unfortunately, Nigeria stands at less than six per cent, making the country, though the ‘Giant of Africa,’ a midget in comparison to others in this area.”
She begged the party leaders to join hands with women as various political parties commenced preparations for 2019 general elections.
Apart from seeking gender quota, the minister said women were demanding that the APC, the PDP and other political parties should make women’s wings within political parties to be part of the political party decision-making structures, formulate strategies for prevention of violence against women in elections.