Kaduna State governor, Nasiru Ahmed el-Rufai has confirmed that the minister of women affairs, Hajiya Aisha Alhassan had never supported President Muhammadu Buhari and that her open declaration of such is not surprising.
According to him, President Buhari is fully aware of the fact that Aisha had never been on his political side, but appointed her minister based on the service he believed she can render to the nation in his government.
The Kaduna state governor, who fielded questions from news men at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa today, Friday, said: “in the APC, she was never in the Buhari’s camp. She did not support our candidates during the National Convention. She didn’t vote for Buhari during the Primaries. But out of largeness of the President’s heart and to encourage women, he appointed her minister.
“Even though she was never a supporter of his (Buhari’s) politics or what he believes in, his ideology, he still believed that to encourage women in politics , what she has tried to do in Taraba earned her being nominated as a minister. Many in Buhari camp did not support it but he overode everybody. He tried to consider every Nigerian his own son or daughter and he nominated her.”
El Rufai said that Aisha’s controversial statements when she spoke to BBC were not surprising, because, she has never believed in Buhari ideology.
“So, I am not surprised. As a Nigerian, as an individual, she has every right to express her views and support whoever she wants.
“What I am saying is Nigerians should not be surprised or shocked. This has always been her position because from time she has never supported Buharism or what Buhari stands for. Being part of Buhari government is a different thing because government sets policies and if you are a minister you execute the policies. You can execute those policies while pursuing a different brand of politics.”
The governor said that the question of whether to sack her from the federal cabinet is the President’s prerogative even as he said that it is possible to retain a person in the cabinet even if he doesn’t support the principal, “if he adds value to the country.”
He said that Buhari is leading a government and not a political group fighting for some political progress.
“If Jumai Alhassan is coming as Minister of Women Affairs and adding value to the government and the people of Nigeria, it is the President’s prerogative to retain her in spite of her political views. But if she is not adding value in spite of her political views, she can be dispensed with.
“People shouldn’t get worried about it. I have worked closely with the President, I know him and I know how he thinks. He doesn’t take these things personally. What is primary to him is Nigeria’s progress. that is what matters ultimately.” [myad]
