Is office of the first lady in the making?

During the campaigns for the presidential election, one major persuasion point of the Muhammadu Buhari tram was that he would abolish the office of the first lady when he gets Nigerians’ mandate to occupy Aso Villa.

Less than one month after his inauguration, his wife, Aisha seems to be involved in activities suggesting that such a promise may just have been thrown to the dogs.

Aisha Buhari over the weekend hosted APC women and youths to an elaborate reception at the old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The event tagged “Appreciation Dinner” was organized to thank APC stakeholders for working for her husband’s victory in the March 28 presidential election.

The large hall inside the Banquet Hall was filled beyond capacity with flamboyantly-dressed women drawn from all states of the federation.

The hall was tastefully decorated with the white and blue colours of the APC.

The APC Women Leader, Hajia Ramatu Tijani, delivered the welcome address in which she advised that the party leadership must ensure that they deliver on the change they promised Nigerians.

Red luxury buses belonging to the Abuja Urban Mass Transit were used to convey members of different state delegations to the venue.

Former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, who was also the Director-General of the Buhari/Osinbajo Presidential Campaign Organisation served as the chairman of the occasion.

Those who attended the dinner included wife of the Vice President, Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo; wife of the President of the Senate, Mrs. Toyin Saraki; wife of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mrs. Gimbia Dogara; wife of the National Chairman of the APC, Mrs. Victoria Odigie-Oyegun; wives of APC state governors, APC female deputy governors; wives of former governors on the platform of the party and other top officials of the party across the country.

A national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, was represented by Senator Babafemi Ojudu.

The dinner has elicited debate among analysts from two sides of the divide. Some insist that she has the right as wife of the president to show appreciation to those that made it possible for her husband to emerge as president, given that she was also actively involved in the campaigns.

Another school however question the platform under which she hosted the gathering, and who foots the bill. To this school of thought, if government at the end of the day pays for the elaborate party, under what office or activity would it be retired. Would this not be surreptitiously creating a budget for the wife of the president, which translates to the office of the first lady?

What do you think?

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