JUST IN: Aisha Buhari’s apology for govt failures motherly expression — CN, 52 Northern groups say

Some civil society organisations including a coalition of 52 Northern Groups (CNG) and Concerned Nigerians (CN) have said that there was nothing wrong with the recent apology to Nigerians by the wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, over the harsh economic realities and insecurity experienced under the Buhari-led government.

Controversies had surrounded the conversations as to the legal and moral dimensions of the apology since she is not part of the government and has no constitutional role under the laws of the country.

Various groups and individuals have also raised the concern as to whether the government agrees with her viewpoint on the performance of the administration.

However, the Coalition of 52 Northern Groups while reacting to the said apology, told Saturday Vanguard that there was nothing wrong with her decision as a member of the first family to express remorse over the performance of her husband’s government.

Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, the spokesperson of the 52 Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG), said: “We really don’t think she is part of the government, but morally, as a critical member of the first family what she has done is right in all respects.

“There is absolutely nothing wrong, if she like any other concerned concerned Nigerian decides to express her feelings over the state of the nation.

“Besides the first lady did not say she was apologizing on behalf of government. It was simply a motherly feeling for the nation.

“Her apology if taken in the context of a feeling from a concerned heart, would make a huge impact on distressed communities, I mean the show of humility and compassion can touch hearts.

“It doesn’t really matter whether the administration shares her sentiments or not. As a woman, she has done what is expected of any reasonable mother. We should judge her outside the administration in this context.

“It is difficult for persons in power to admit failure and Buhari is not an exception. Even out of office they rarely admit to inadequacies while in power.

“What is important is that Aisha has gone on record as the only, perhaps the first wife of a Nigerian leader to publicly critique her husband’s style of leadership. This is commendable indeed.”

In the same vein, human rights activist and convener of Concerned Nigerians, Comrade Deji Adeyanju, said Aisha Buhari’s apology was timely and necessary because she was part of those who marketed her husband to the country in 2015 and 2019.

“The wife of the President has no constitutional role, because there is nothing like the office of the First Lady under our laws.

“However, her apology is within her right and it is timely, because she was one of those who marketed the current APC government to the country. Therefore, her apology is in line,” he told Saturday Vanguard

However, Adeyanju maintained that while she does not have any constitutional grounds within the ambit of the rule of law to tender the apology, it is within her right to do so.

He said, “Though her apology has no effect on the current situation in the country, it is necessary because she was among those who were frying bean cake on the streets to ‘con’ Nigerians (before her husband was elected in 2015). So, from a moral point of view, it is in order.

“Nonetheless, she should not have supported her husband for a second term, knowing fully well that his first tenure performance was underwhelming.”

However, he lamented President Buhari does not seem to share the same sentiment with his wife as to the performance of his administration.

“You can also see that her husband does not align with her in anyway, because he doesn’t see himself as a failure or willing to take responsibility for the maladministration in government. He still sees himself as a messiah, which is most unfortunate,” Deji Adeyanju decried.