Senators clash over Buhari’s comment on wife

ABUJA—TWO female senators from the North and West, on the platform of different political parties, Binta Masi Garba, APC, Adamawa North and Biodun Olujimi, PDP, Ekiti South, yesterday, sharply disagreed over comments made by President Muhammadu Buhari on his wife. Senator Olujimi on her part, took a swipe at President Buhari for relegating his wife, saying by implication, he also relegated other Nigerian women, to the kitchen, argued that “our women should not only be in the kitchen, they should be in the Senate too.” Senator Garba, who disagreed with her colleague, said: “I am proud to be in the kitchen and also in the Senate. I am first a woman before a senator and I am proud to be in the Senate too as a woman.” She, however, expressed hope that with the release of 21 Chibok girls, others would also be released. “For the girls to have been found, it means there is still hope that the other girls will be found. It is a big joy to mothers, fathers and everyone,’’ she said. The two senators spoke separately while responding to a Point of Order by the Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, who drew the attention of his colleagues to the release of 21 Chibok school girls. In her contribution, while supporting Ndume’s motion on the release of Chibok girls, Olujimi who reacted to Buhari’s comment, had said that “our women should not only be in the kitchen; they should be in the Senate too.” Olujimi’s comment then provoked a reaction in Garba who swiftly dismissed her submission, saying “I am proud to be in the kitchen and also in the Senate. I am first a woman before a senator.”