‘Alhassan has right to freedom of expression’–Atiku

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.”

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.”