President Muhammadu Buhari had offended his host, Chancellor Angela Merkel when he remarked in a joint press conference with his counterpart after a lunch talk at the Chancellor’s Office, that his wife belonged “to his kitchen, and living room”, as he responded to threats made by his wife, Aisha in her interview with the BBC that she would not support him for a second term if he failed to shake up his government.
It was a major gaffe as it showed disrespect for women and failing to take into cognizance that his host is a woman. But now the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, on Friday said President Muhammadu Buhari was only joking with his remarks that his wife, Aisha, belongs to the kitchen and other room.
Shehu made the explanation in a message posted on his Twitter handle.
He said Buhari laughed before making the statement, Shehu said politics should sometimes be spiced up with humour.
However, this does not represent the truth. Checkpointcharley was in fact in the front row in that press conference. The president laughed ironically before his unwise outburst. He first said, “I don’t know which party my wife belongs to; all I know is that she belongs to my kitchen”. And only added:”and in my living room” when he noticed that the comment did not go down well with his host and audience.
Unfortunately the presidential aide wrote, “My friends, can’t a leader get a sense humour anymore? Mr. President laughed before that statement was made. He was obviously throwing a banter.
“Politics sometimes should be spiced with humour. Those of us close to him know there is never a dull moment with him.
“Mr. President respects the place of women in our society. He believes in the abilities of women.
“One of Nigeria’s most sensitive offices today is headed by a woman, Mrs. Adeosun. This is an evidence of the confidence he reposes in women.”
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