Buhari appoints new aides for Aisha as governors’ wives visit first lady

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of new aides for his wife, Aisha Buhari’s office.

Director of Information the office of the First Lady, Suleiman Haruna, said the President approved the appointments of Dr. Mairo Almakura as Special Assistant on African First Ladies Peace Mission (AFLPM); Muhammed Albishir (Special Assistant on Organisation of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD) and Wole Aboderin (Special Assistant on Non-Governmental Organisations.

Others are, Aliyu Abdullahi (Special Assistant on Media and Publicity; Zainab Kazeem (Special Assistant on Domestic and Social Events) and Funke Adesiyan (Personal Assistant on Domestic and Social Events). The appointments take immediate effect.

Recalled that Aisha Buhari returned to Nigeria last Sunday after a prolonged stay abroad, amid rumours that the President had taken another wife.

Besides, wives of the governors yesterday paid a solidarity visit to Aisha at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

This followed recent scandal between the First Lady and the family of Mamman Daura, the President’s cousin whose daughter Fatima accused Aisha of assaulting her inside the villa.

Haruna in a statement said Mrs. Buhari used the opportunity of the visit to apologise to her children and the first family for the embarrassment caused as a result of the leaked video.

“She used the opportunity to commend the first ladies for the good work they have been doing in their various states, and the successful collaboration they did with Future Assured, calling on the new First Ladies to do the same.

Commenting on the videos on social media, Mrs. Buhari also extended apologies to her children, immediate family members and all well-meaning Nigerians over the embarrassment that the videos had caused.

“I have secured 2.7 hectares of land in Abuja for this purpose and the foundation laying will soon be conducted in the presence of African First Ladies,” she said.

Speaking on the advocacy project for the improvement of maternal and child health, which is supported by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and implemented by Future Assured Programme in partnership with the states first ladies, Aisah said it will an end on December 2019.

“Aisha Buhari has expressed her resolve to construct a regional secretariat for the African First Ladies Peace Mission (AFLPM). The Mission, which was established after the Beijing Conference of 1995, has been in the custody of Nigeria, with leadership rotating among African First Ladies.”

She expressed appreciation to the President for approving a new set of aides to assist her in carrying out her various responsibilities.

Speaking, the First Lady of Borno state, Mrs. Falmata Umara Zulum representing Northern First Ladies Forum and Mrs. Betsy Obaseki, representing Southern First Ladies Forum spoke at the occasion.

Mrs. Zulum said they were at the State House to welcome her back after a long absence, and expressed their unalloyed loyalty and support to her initiatives especially through the Future Assured Programme, which she said has made her a role model even to other African women.

On her part, Mrs. Obaseki said they received news of the First Lady’s return with great excitement and prayed God to continue to offer her protection.