THE QUESTION: Does Buhari not trust women?

In January, President Muhammadu Buhari unveiled Aisha Buhari, his wife, at a political rally in Abeokuta, Ogun state capital.

“This impressive outing will be incomplete without bringing out my wife publicly. Here she is, I don’t think many people in this country know her,” he said at that rally which took place at the MKO Abiola stadium.

Some attributed the development to pressure from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The party had painted Buhari, then the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as someone who would not carry women along if given the opportunity to lead the country.

PATIENCE JONATHAN BELIEVED WOMEN WOULD BE  SHUT OUT

At different occasions, Patience Jonathan, wife of the immediate past president, challenged Buhari to tell Nigerians about his wife.

Patience said while her husband had encouraged women by giving them key positions, Buhari was threatening to scrap the office of the first lady.

Telling women to vote against the APC candidate, Mama P as her supporters call her, said based on antecedent, Buhari would sideline them if he emerges president.

“During Buhari’s era, he said women should be confined to the kitchen but under Jonathan’s administration, women have been liberated to contribute to national development,” she told a crowd at Okpara Square, Enugu, in March.

“If you vote for Buhari again, you will return to the kitchen. It is not our portion to go back to the kitchen. We have women that are capable. We can contribute our quota to the development of Nigeria.”

THE ONLY WOMAN BUHARI TRUSTS?

However, Buhari proved his critics wrong when he appointed Amina Zakari as acting chairperson of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

In its 55 years of existence, the electoral body has not been led by a woman and supporters of the president commended him, saying not even his critics toed that line.

However, the president has made nearly 40 appointments since he assumed office and there has been no other woman apart from Zakari.

The much-awaited ministerial list did not make much difference as only three women were picked out of 21 persons, a ration of 1:7.

Unlike his predecessor who had women in his entourage during his trips abroad, the female gender is hardly represented in the team of the president on his foreign trips.

It’s too early to draw a conclusion on this issue since the ministerial list is incomplete. Who says the president cannot reserve the next list for women?

Besides, the president still has numerous appointments to make.