Minister Alhassan Only Exercised Right of Freedom – Group

By Sule Aliyu,   Bauchi

A Pro-democracy group, the Northern Initiative for Good Governance (NIGG) has decried criticisms against the Minister of Women Affairs, Senator A’isha Alhassan for declaring support for her political godfather and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar.

According to the group, the minister is exercising her freedom of opinion and association as guaranteed in the Nigerian Constitution, as the statement also exempts her from a charlatan who acts like churls under the canopy of the presidency.

The NIGG in a press release signed by its Secretary, Adamu Hassan, said it does not see anything wrong with the statement credited to the minister as any person is entitled to his or her own opinion.

“After all, President Muhammadu Buhari has categorically told the APC before contesting for president in 2015 that he would run for only one term in office. So for Buhari to now say otherwise means that he is not a man who keep to his words”, the release said.

The group secretary said it is also ridiculous for the APC governors to have endorsed the President for a second term in office or for the party’s national chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, to assert that Buhari will make his intention known on second term bid at appropriate time

He recalled that President Buhari was fully aware about where Senator Alhassan’s loyalty lies before appointing her into his cabinet, hence the uproar by some APC cronies to sack her from the ministerial position does not even arise.

NIGG also described as high sense of responsibility and principled-led leadership, as well as display of politics of conscience demonstrated by minister Alhassan for coming out boldly to bare mind on her unalloyed loyalty to Atiku Abubakar no matter the consequences.

The release said that it is regrettable that Nigerians have for too long been led by charlatans who were bench warmers in the cabinet that constitute 75% members of the opposition party to the detriment of the ruling APC captains who labored so much during electioneering campaigns to ensure victory for the party.