Sowore vows no First Lady office if elected 2027 president, calls position unconstitutional
Omoyele Sowore, African Action Congress presidential candidate for 2027, declared today on Channels Television's Politics Today that his administration would not establish a First Lady office, arguing the position lacks constitutional basis. He stated that while his marriage would continue, his wife would hold no official role by virtue of his presidency, describing such offices as 'unconstitutional' and a waste of public funds meant for national projects.
This challenges Nigeria's established tradition where First Ladies manage publicly funded offices and initiatives (often in education, health, or welfare), wielding significant influence despite no constitutional mandate. Sowore contends women's voices would still be heard in his administration through other channels, questioning why taxpayer money should support a role he views as illegitimate when funds could directly serve development projects.
With historical examples of First Ladies using state-funded platforms for advocacy (like pet projects or national campaigns), does eliminating the office to redirect those funds toward tangible public works represent better resource allocation, or do you see value in maintaining an unofficial platform for presidential spouses to drive social causes independent of constitutional recognition?