The Arewa Youth Integrity Forum (AYIF) has called on well-meaning Nigerians to disregard report that the wife of the President, Hajia Aisha Buhari, is exerting undue authority at the Presidential Villa.
National President of AYIF, Ibrahim Abubakar, who spoke in a statement issued in Abuja Thursday, said the report is an attempt by disgruntled elements in the society to cause disaffection in the land.
He described those behind the report as criminally minded people who are trying to paint the northern part of the country as politically domineering and in disregard of the constitution.
“Those behind this plot went to town with the claim that the wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari is acting as president while Kaduna state governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai functions as vice president.
“All Nigerians, the right thinking ones, are aware that President Muhammadu Buhari is President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria with Professor Yemi Osinbajo as Vice President. In a record making move, President Muhammadu Buhari properly notified the National Assembly of his ten-day medical leave and Professor Osinbajo’s status as acting President in that time span.
“We have it on good authority that those behind the rumour are political terrorists that are highly placed persons in the All Progressives Congress (APC) who want to plunge the country into crisis in pursuit of their personal agenda.
“It is appalling that people can advertise their ignorance on an unprecedented scale by claiming Mrs. Buhari is the one acting as President. The only logical explanation other than crass ignorance is that this claim is being made out of malice and mischief.
“The Arewa Youth Integrity Forum hereby categorically warn these characters from disparaging Mrs. Aisha Buhari or members of her family.
“This latest allegation is the latest in a series of smear campaign that has consistently sought to undermine her family life. It however went beyond bounds this time around by trying to precipitate a national crisis by attempting to play on the minds of Nigerians by conjuring a past era that has no similarity with our current scenario,” AYIF said.