Atiku: ‘Alhassan has right to freedom of expression’

FOLLOWING the comments credited to the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Senator Aisha Alhassan, popularly referred to as Mama Taraba, more Nigerians have expressed varying reactions, with many describing her as a citizen, who simply exercised her right to freedom of expression.

Alhassan had declared support for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s 2019 presidential ambition.

The comments were featured as responses to an opinion poll question posted on the Nigerian Tribune Facebook page which read: “The Women Affairs Minister, Senator Aisha Alhassan (Mama Taraba), recently declared support for former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s 2019 presidential ambition, not minding being a cabinet member in President Muhammadu Buhari administration. Will you call this a mark of honesty or disloyalty to her boss, and what do you think should be the presidency’s reaction to her action?”

The post generated more than 600 comments, and while many were of the general opinion that she had the right to freedom of expression, the comments varied between commendations for her honesty, calls on the presidency to terminate her appointment, and her resignation.

Noting that she had a right to express her opinion, Jude Chinonye said: “Is she serving Buhari or Nigeria? There’s no need for her to resign. She’s a member of the party in power, and Atiku too is a member of the party in power, and I suppose she must have been chosen based on her party membership, as Buhari is not known to be dynamic in choice.

“She has an opinion and she is entitled to one any way, and her opinion should be respected. After all, Buhari’s supporters claim he’s a man of integrity, and she has every right to hold him accountable.”

Flaying the minister on her stand, Nuel Okwuchukwu Edy said: “Inasmuch as I don’t support the Buhari administration, I think the woman acted foolishly. You don’t go public to criticise your boss. She should have resigned first before making such declaration. She has been part of the administration that crippled the economy of Nigeria,” while Olalere Dele said: “You don’t bite the finger that feeds you. Though she is entitled to her opinion, she should have done it in a better and more mature way. Put your feet in the same shoes, Mama Taraba. Posterity must surely judge you.”

While Abubakar Sadiq Muhammad commended Alhassan, he queried her timing.

“To do justice to her recent political statements and focus, two things should be considered: one thing is her personal right while the other is national. Nobody should query Mama Taraba for her relationship with Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, either in terms of politics or otherwise. On the other side, Mama Taraba is wrong for playing politics on a personal level, as it seems against what should be the stand of her position as a cabinet member present of the administration under which she serves the nation. Most of all, it is not yet time for political campaign. It should be time to focus more on servicing the nation.

If her thought was to give priority for her political godfather’s ambition to become president 2019, there is no harm in that whatsoever. But she should have humbly resigned to go on,” Muhammad stated.

Babs Oredola said: “We all have our preferences in life and Mama Taraba is not an exception to that law of nature. Her utmost loyalty is to her nation and not to her boss. If the presidency feels slighted, let her be sacked. As far as I am concerned, Mama Taraba is the most sincere cabinet member, unlike others who are afraid to lend their voices just because of their current positions. Mama Taraba didn’t mind the consequence of her utterances. I give it to Mama Taraba.”

Sabiu Rabo Dahiru noted that there was nothing wrong in her expression of opinion, saying: “I don’t see anything bad in someone expressing her mind especially with regards to the minister in question. In my understanding, the minister has done more than expected.”

Sambo Oyambo Pedro described Alhassan’s comment as a “restructuring of the mind,” stating that “Bravery, honesty is what our politicians should stand for; a bold step to restructure our minds. All hail Mama Taraba.”

In Johnson Ezenwelu’s opinion, people like Mama Taraba were those Nigeria needed to experience development.

“To me, these are the kind of people we need in this country to move forward, not sycophants. She has not disappointed her master because she is talking about 2019,” Ezenwelu stated.

Another respondent, Peter Odigie said: “Complete honesty of the highest order. There are many like Mama Taraba in the President Muhammadu Buhari/APC-led government, but they don’t have the courage to speak out because they don’t want to be sacked. If I were Buhari, I would not sack her. Rather, I would make her my best friend if I am really Mr Integrity.”