THE Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, on Friday said President Muhammadu Buhari was only joking with his remarks that his wife, Aisha, belongs to the kitchen.
Shehu gave the explanation in a message posted on his Twitter handle.
Buhari had yesterday in his reaction to his wife ‘s explosive interview said she belongs to the kitchen.
Recall that in a interview with the BBC, Aisha Buhari warnedthat she may not back her husband at the next election unless he shakes up his government.
In the interview, she also Aisha suggested his government had been hijacked by only a “few people”, who were behind presidential appointments.She said the president did not know most of the officials he had appointed.
Asked specifically to comment on his wife’s claims, in a press briefing alongside the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, in Berlin yesterday, President Buhari jokely said his wife belongs to the kitchen, living room and the other room.
Buhari said, “I don’t know which party my wife belongs to, but my wife belongs to my kitchen and my living room and the other room.”
“It is not easy to do away with opposition or people who did not follow you along your campaign trail. I hope my wife will remember that I was in the field for 12 years, I tried three times, the fourth time I managed to succeed.
“And I ended up the first three times in the Nigerian Supreme Court, so I claim superior knowledge over her and the rest of the opposition and I succeeded.
“It is not easy to satisfy the whole Nigerian opposition parts or to participate in the government.
Meanwhile, while saying that Buhari laughed before making the statement, Shehu said politics should sometimes be spiced up with humour.
The presidential aide wrote, “My friends, can’t a leader get a sense humour anymore? Mr. President laughed before that statement was made. He was obviously throwing a banter.
“Politics sometimes should be spiced with humour. Those of us close to him knows there is never a dull moment with him.
“Mr. President respects the place of women in our society. He believes in the abilities of women.
“One of Nigeria’s most sensitive office today is headed by a woman, Mrs. Adeosun. This is an evidence of the confidence he reposes on women,” he said.