ATIKU COMMENT: No need to sack Alhassan, Nigerians argue

Nigerians who took part in a survey by Ripples Nigeria have contended that there is no need for President Muhammadu Buhari to relieve the Minister of Women Affairs, Aisha Alhassan, of her duties as a minister, over her comment that she would support former vice president Atiku Abubakar in the 2019 presidential election over Buhari should he decide to run.
Alhassan, a former governorship candidate in Taraba State had, in a video that went viral recently, much to the shock of many, openly declared support for Atiku’s aspirations.
Following the video’s emergence and backlash from some who called for her sack, Alhassan defended her position in an interview.
Speaking with BBC Hausa, she called Atiku her godfather, saying she did not mind losing her job for supporting him.
Her party, the APC and governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El’Rufai had contended that she spoke out of line, even as the governor revealed that Buhari appointed her against the advice of some chieftains of the party.

Also, soon after the comment, the office of the Auditor-General indicted the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development under her of alleged fraud of N11, 700,000 and ordered that the money be refunded to the federation account.
According to the report, payments amounting to N11, 700, 000 were made by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development to enable Minister Alhassan, and some other staff members embark on ‘familiarisation visits’ to undisclosed skill acquisition centres in selected states in 2015.
The report stated that an “audit investigation established that the purported acclaimed visits were never undertaken.”
But Nigerians who took part in the survey put up arguments in her favour, noting that she was rather courageous and truthful for stating her mind, qualities they contend many Nigerian politicians presently lack.
The survey which was widely promoted on social media attracted well over 1,792 comments on Facebook alone, with 1,036 people taking part in the actual voting process.
The poll reached 419,493 people on facebook, and was shared by more than 500 people, with more than 250,000 people indicating they liked it.
Of those who took part in the actual voting, 61.4 per cent, representing 633 voters said she does not need to be relieved of her job, while 398 respondents representing 38.6 per cent wanted her sacked.
Unlike in several other surveys carried out by Ripples Nigeria, no voter was undecided on the matter.