Whether a Freudian Slip or not, the assertion by an unrecognised presidential aide that President Muhammadu Buhari is shy around women has again captivated the imaginations of Nigerians on the persona of the president.

Though presidential spokesman, Mr. Femi Adesina was quick to disown the supposed aide, and also deny his claim, the issue has refused to die.

However, the facts speak for itself on the issue.

Against the estimated 31% involvement of women at the onset of the President Goodluck Jonathan administration in 2011, President Buhari on his part, has started his course with what many are protesting as a miserly 17%. Even worse, the incumbent has proved even more restrained in appointing women into other executive positions.

Rep. Mrakpor

Mrs. Joan Mrakpor, a member of the House of Representatives and wife of Mr. Peter Mrakpor , the Delta State Commissioner of Justice. She acquits Buhari but rather blames the ruling APC for estranging women. 

I think it is more of an APC thing because even if Buhari coming in has a military background or is a Muslim, as his spokesman said, he has a wife, he has daughters, so I don’t think it is the issue of religion. If you look at his wife and daughters, it does not paint the picture of a sharia man. His daughters look beautiful and they are at liberty on the way they dress, the wife is also beautiful and well attired, and so, I don’t think it is the issue of religion.

If you say he is a military man, but Obasanjo was also a military man, and had women in governance. So, I want to believe that it is more of a party issue than an individual thing. I don’t think President Buhari should take all the blame because it is more of a party thing. President Buhari did not appoint the ministers alone, if the party had said in our ministerial list let’s include women and youths and if the party had said out of the 36 let us have maybe nine women, nine youths and maybe 18 or so elders, I don’t think Buhari would say no, that I hate women. So, it is more of an APC thing and I see the leadership of the APC more interested in persons than in collective interests. So, I am not subscribing at all to the blame game on Buhari for the number of women in his cabinet.

You will not tell me that Buhari did not meet with the party caucus, you will not tell me that the APC leadership was not in consultation with him in the naming of ministers, you wouldn’t tell me that President Buhari sat down alone to make the nominees or that the leadership was not part of the process.