Omoyele Sowore, the African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate has declared that his administration would not create an official Office of the First Lady if he is elected President in 2027, citing the absence of such an office in the Constitution. The AAC candidate disclosed this while appearing on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, […]
Omoyele Sowore, the African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate has declared that his administration would not create an official Office of the First Lady if he is elected President in 2027, citing the absence of such an office in the Constitution.
The AAC candidate disclosed this while appearing on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, explaining that his proposed government would not give his wife an official role simply because he became President.
Sowore stressed that his presidential ambition would have no impact on his marriage, but said his wife would not be assigned a government position or office by virtue of their relationship.
According to him, the position of First Lady does not have constitutional recognition and should therefore not be maintained with public resources.
“There is no office of First Lady in the Nigerian Constitution,” Sowore said, while explaining that his marriage would continue regardless of whether he became President.
He said his administration would still ensure that women had opportunities to participate and make their voices heard in government.
However, Sowore questioned the justification for spending public money on an office for the President’s wife, describing such expenditure as money that could instead be directed towards development projects.
He subsequently stated that abolishing the Office of the First Lady would be a deliberate policy of his government if he wins the 2027 presidential election.
Beyond the proposed policy on the First Lady’s office, Sowore said he would pursue measures designed to reduce government expenditure and claimed they could result in savings of approximately N4 trillion.
He also promised to intensify efforts against corruption and stop the payment of security votes to state governors.
“We will stop security votes to governors,” the AAC candidate said, while acknowledging that constitutional amendments would be necessary to implement the proposal.
Sowore said the funds could instead support state governments in meeting their wage obligations and financing other priorities.
Security votes are allocations provided to state governors for security and emergency purposes. Their administration and level of accountability have generated public debate because governors generally have discretion over how the funds are spent.
HeadlinePaddy, here’s the TV Platinum + Enitan treatment, with the strongest part of Sowore’s declaration leading the story and the two versions structured differently.
2027: Sowore Rules Out First Lady Office Under His Presidency
African Action Congress presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore says there will be no official Office of the First Lady if he wins the 2027 presidential election, arguing that the position is not recognised by Nigeria’s Constitution.
Sowore made the declaration on Thursday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he outlined some of the policies he would pursue if elected President.
The AAC candidate said his presidency would not affect his marriage but maintained that his wife would not occupy an official position or receive a government office because of his election as President.
He argued that establishing and funding an Office of the First Lady would amount to maintaining a position that has no constitutional basis.
“There is no office of First Lady in the Nigerian Constitution. Becoming the president will not abolish my marriage, but I will not have the office of First Lady,” Sowore said.
The presidential candidate, however, said women would have a voice in his administration, stressing that his objection was specifically to the use of public funds to maintain an official office for the President’s wife.
“Women will be heard, but I don’t believe that you need a first lady who is holding an unconstitutional position and just wasting money that is meant for progress and projects,” he said.
Sowore said his position was a matter of policy and reiterated that an Office of the First Lady would not form part of his proposed administration if he becomes President.
The AAC candidate also unveiled plans aimed at reducing the cost of governance, claiming that his proposed measures could save the country about N4 trillion.
He said his administration would target corruption and redirect public resources towards development, while also proposing an end to security votes allocated to state governors.
“We will stop security votes to governors, we will make this happen,” Sowore said, adding that implementing the proposal would require constitutional changes.
He explained that the funds currently associated with security votes could instead be used to address state wage bills and other public needs.
Security votes are public funds made available to state governors for security and emergency-related purposes, with governors generally exercising discretion over their use. The system has remained a subject of debate over transparency and accountability.ENITAN VERSION
Sowore: No Official First Lady Office Under My Presidency
Omoyele Sowore, the African Action Congress presidential candidate, has declared that his administration would not create an official Office of the First Lady if he is elected President in 2027, citing the absence of such an office in the Constitution.
The AAC candidate disclosed this while appearing on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, explaining that his proposed government would not give his wife an official role simply because he became President.
Sowore stressed that his presidential ambition would have no impact on his marriage, but said his wife would not be assigned a government position or office by virtue of their relationship.
According to him, the position of First Lady does not have constitutional recognition and should therefore not be maintained with public resources.
“There is no office of First Lady in the Nigerian Constitution,” Sowore said, while explaining that his marriage would continue regardless of whether he became President.
He said his administration would still ensure that women had opportunities to participate and make their voices heard in government.
However, Sowore questioned the justification for spending public money on an office for the President’s wife, describing such expenditure as money that could instead be directed towards development projects.
He subsequently stated that abolishing the Office of the First Lady would be a deliberate policy of his government if he wins the 2027 presidential election.
Beyond the proposed policy on the First Lady’s office, Sowore said he would pursue measures designed to reduce government expenditure and claimed they could result in savings of approximately N4 trillion.
He also promised to intensify efforts against corruption and stop the payment of security votes to state governors.
“We will stop security votes to governors,” the AAC candidate said, while acknowledging that constitutional amendments would be necessary to implement the proposal.
Sowore said the funds could instead support state governments in meeting their wage obligations and financing other priorities.
Security votes are allocations provided to state governors for security and emergency purposes. Their administration and level of accountability have generated public debate because governors generally have discretion over how the funds are spent.