First Lady, Buhari’s cousin at war

The explosive interview Aisha Buhari granted the BBC Hausa Service recently might be a prelude to a political feud in the first family about spill to the public.

Aisha expressed her disgust for certain opportunists in the inner circle of her husband’s presidency.

“Some people are sitting down in their homes folding their arms only for them to be called to come and head an agency or a ministerial position,” she said in the interview aired Friday morning.

When BBC’s Naziru Mikailu pressed her further—to name the people who have hijacked Buhari’s government, she baulked.

“You will know them if you watch television.”

But many believe Mamman Daura, Buhari’s cousin and chief security officer, famed for his tight grip of the presidency, might be the man. Others might be Abba Kyari, chief of staff, and David Babachir, secretary to the government.

Saharareporters recentl said the three never voted for Buhari because they have no voter’s card.
Daura and Aisha, according to rumours, have been colliding all along in the villa—for his manipulation of the president.

On whether the president was in charge of his administration, she said that is left for the people to decide.

“The president does not know 45 out of 50, for example, of the people he appointed and I don’t know them either, despite being his wife of 27 years,” Aisha added.

According to her,  some of the president’s appointees did not share the vision of his party and were appointed because of the influence of a few people.

Something else Buhari hasn’t told her is 2019—whether he’s contesting or not.

“But I have decided as his wife, that if things continue like this up to 2019, I will not go out and campaign again and ask any woman to vote like I did before. I will never do it again,” she said.