Wife of the President, Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, has explained that her criticism of the her husband in an interview in 2016 was based on her sense of justice and not meant to confront or disrespect her husband.
Mrs. Buhari said this in a message she sent to the 2017 Vanguard Awards where she was honoured as Vanguard Personality of the Year 2017 on Saturday.
A copy of the message of the President’s wife, who was represented at the event by one of her daughters, Halima, was made available to State House correspondents on Sunday by her spokesman, Suleiman Haruna.
Mrs. Buhari said she was brought up to stand by the truth and that was how she has been living her life.
She said Nigerians elected her husband based on the trust and confidence they have in him and she felt the administration must serve Nigeria to the best of its ability.
The President’s wife said, “I wish to thank the management of Vanguard Media Limited for this unexpected award, in recognition of my humanitarian efforts towards improving the health and welfare of Nigerians particularly women, children and less privileged.
“One of the reasons adduced for honouring me was the interview I granted which some people saw as criticism to a government that I am part of.
“I need to state that my position was a result of my sense of justice and not confrontation or disrespect. I was brought up to stand by the truth and this is how I have always been.
“As we are all aware, Nigerians elected this administration based on the trust and confidence they have on my husband; I, therefore, feel that we are here to serve Nigeria to the best of our ability.
“Let me use this opportunity to state that I support my husband in this call to service and will continue to do so.
“On this note, I hereby dedicate this award to the people of Nigeria, especially women. Thank you sincerely for this award.”
Mrs. Buhari had in the 2016 interview with BBC urged her husband to rejig his government as many of the people benefitting from the government were not known to him and did not contribute to the campaign.
While lamenting that Nigerians were suffering and the people who worked for her husband’s election had been left in the cold, she said if things continued in that manner, she would not support the President’s reelection in 2019.
