president Buhari shy at the presence of women-presidential aide.

Some insight has been provided into
President Muhammadu Buhari’s
aversion for women and the low
number of female appointments since
he assumed office, with his Senior
Special Assistant, Political Matters, Mr.
Gideon Samani, disclosing that the
president did not include many women
in his cabinet because he is “very shy
dealing with the opposite sex”.
Samani, who spoke on Thursday in
Abuja at the fifth annual lecture series
organised by the Change We Need in
Nigeria group, said Buhari was used to
interacting with men, but added
quickly that the issue of gender
inequality would be addressed by the
president.
His statement contrasted with that of a
ministerial nominee from Kogi State,
Mr. James Ocholi (SAN), who in defence
of the low representation of women in
the federal cabinet, told the Senate on
Thursday that Buhari had brought
women into prominence, including the
late Prof. Dora Akunyili.
According to Samani, “If you are close
to Mr. President, you will know that he
has the interest of the nation as his
uppermost priority. He did not
intentionally marginalise women.
“It is just that Mr. President is shy with
women. He has been interacting mostly
with men. I can assure you that in the
shortest time, this issue of gender
inequality will be dealt with.”
Samani, who was once a Speaker of the
Kaduna State House of Assembly and
represented the Secretary to the
Government of the Federation, Mr.
Babachir Lawal at the event, said the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lost the
last election to the All Progressives
Congress (APC) due to insecurity,
economic challenges and corruption in
high places, thereby forcing the people
to seek for change.
“The change we seek is real and not
mere rhetoric. People must feel it,
touch it, and experience it across the
different strata of our society – in
schools, churches, market places and at
all our duty posts.
“It is not going to be business as usual.
Many guilty Nigerians, of their own
accord, have fled the country. Our
public institutions are now working.
“The availability of fuel and the
generation and distribution of power
have improved ever since. All hands
must be on deck for all of us to be
these agents of change,” he stated.
Speaking at the event, Senator Chris
Anyanwu expressed disappointment
with the appointments made so far by
the president, stating that despite the
fact that the number one citizen
benefitted immensely from female
voters, he has relegated them to the
background.
She noted that so far, no woman from
the South-east had been given a
political appointment and that even the
numbers of women in Buhari’s
government is a far cry from what
obtains worldwide.
"Mr. President has benefitted so much
from us. We don’t expect him to draw
us back. Women are able and strong to
move this nation forward. Anything you
do, you should know that the whole
world is watching you".
So far, women have been
marginalised. No woman from the east
has been given a political appointment
and the ones he did were a far cry to
what is obtainable anywhere in the
world.
“We talk of change but we are afraid of
the change. We have moved from the
era where women clapped and danced
for male politicians. President Buhari
should be gender sensitive. He should
open the door and let women rise up to
their full potential,” she said.
The senator added that gender equality
should begin with parents by treating
their children equally.