Patience Jonathan or Aisha Buhari: Who becomes First Lady?

The Nigerian constitution does not recognise the office of the First Lady which is a title for the spouse of the head of state or president of Nigeria. However, the office has remained one of the most funded and staffed since independence and the First Lady is addressed by the title Her Excellency.

Nigeria has had several first ladies since independence but the late Maryam Babangida, wife of Nigeria’s military president from 1985 to 1993, General Ibrahim Babagida, began the trend.

But the current First Lady in the person of Dame Patience Faka Jonathan is one woman who shares the political space equally with her husband, regardless of what the constitution says about her office.

If her husband is re-elected, Nigerians may not see much difference from what Mrs. Jonathan has done as First Lady for the past six years. But if General Muhammadu Buhari of the APC gains the upper hand, then Nigerians would then have a new experience with Mrs. Aisha Buhari as First Lady.

Dame Jonathan is reputed as a woman who holds court, summoning ministers, even governors for meetings. Dame Jonathan is not your regular first lady that is content with the glamour of office; she is as active, if not more, than her husband in the politics and politicking of the Peoples Democratic Party of Nigeria.

With her influence, so many people have been appointed ministers, permanent secretaries, ambassadors, name it. In fact, through her, many governorship candidates have received endorsement to contest in their home states.

In fact, Mr. Evans Bipi, a member representing Ogu Bolo State Constituency in the Rivers State House of Assembly, described the first lady as his Jesus Christ.

On her own, she anointed Nyeson Wike, the present governorship candidate of the PDP in her home state, Rivers, to dislodge Rotimi Amaechi, after falling out with the governor. Because of the respect the Bayelsa State Governor, Mr. Henry Seriake Dickson had for her, he made her a permanent secretary in July 2012 even after a long time absence from work. But when she fell out with the governor, she resigned from the office to show her annoyance. She then handpicked the Special Assistant to the President on Domestic Matters, Mr. Waripamowei Dudafa to take over from Dickson in 2016 irrespective of the governor’s aspiration for a re-election.

The likes of Chief Christopher Alao-Akala, a former governor and deputy governor of Oyo State, would not forget in a hurry the role Dame Jonathan played in the politics of the PDP in Oyo State when she summoned their leaders and advised them to make the former governor of the state, Chief Rashidi Ladoja, the PDP flag bearer, even after the latter had since left the party and become the founder of Accord Party. Akala is today the governorship candidate of the Labour Party in Oyo State.

For Mrs. Aishat Buhari, wife of the presidential candidate of the APC, Muhammadu Buhari, the office of the First Lady could turn out to be a completely different experience if her husband wins.

Aisha also holds National Certificate in Education, a Bachelor of Arts Degree at Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma and Masters in International Affairs and Strategic Studies from Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna.

She said, "For me, I will perform my duties and role as the wife of the President of Nigeria traditionally."