Primary election dispute: Aisha Buhari reacts to Adamawa APC crisis

Aisha Buhari, wife of the president, has bared her mind on the crisis that is rocking the Adamawa chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Recall that Aishatu Binani, the senator representing Adamawa central, had defeated Nuhu Ribadu, former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and Jibrilla Bindow, former governor of the state, to win the governorship primary held on May 26.

Displeased by the outcome of the election, Ribadu challenged Binani’s victory in court.

Consequently, a federal high court in Yola, the Adamawa capital, had annuled the primary in October.

However, in a ruling delivered on Thursday, November 24, an appeal court in the state upturned the lower court judgement and restored Binani’s candidacy.

The development spurred celebration from notable womenfolk, with Pauline Tallen, the minister of women affairs, describing it as “the beginning of good things” for Nigerian women.

The first lady was however reported to be rooting for Ribadu during a meeting of Adamawa APC stakeholders held last week.

Breaking her silence on Tuesday, the first lady, who is a native of the state, said she was committed to intervening in the situation.

She said she would get involved in the “problem” to ensure that “common sense” prevails in Adamawa politics.

She said in an Instagram post: “In the name of Allah, I wish to thank Adamawa State APC Leaders for the courtesy visit they paid on me, on November 18, 2022.

“As an indigene of the State, a mother a Grand Mother and the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I would like to reaffirm my support for the genuine concern of our party leaders, as well as COMMIT TO STEPPING INTO THE PROBLEM so that reason and common sense will prevail in Adamawa politics.”

Aisha Buhari also called on northern leaders to emulate their south-west counterparts by “enthroning women” as deputy governors in the states in the region.

“I would again like to repeat my appeal to respected leaders in the North to learn from the exemplary practice of their Southwest counterparts in enthroning women as Deputy Governors in states as a gradual approach to obtaining gender inclusion in our polity,” she wrote.