Former lawmaker who represented Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Shehu Sani, has defended First Lady Oluremi Tinubu amid the backlash over her recent “akara” comment, urging Nigerians to assess her record of public service rather than judge her based on a single remark.
Sani made the appeal in a post shared on his verified X account on Monday, following widespread criticism that trailed the First Lady’s suggestion that struggling Nigerians could engage in small-scale businesses such as selling akara, roasted corn and kuli-kuli to earn a living.
The comments generated mixed reactions, with critics describing them as insensitive to the country’s economic realities, while others argued that she was encouraging entrepreneurship and self-reliance.
Reacting to the controversy, Sani said the First Lady’s numerous humanitarian interventions should be taken into account before passing judgment on her.
He wrote, “The record of the First Lady as one who raised billions for the moribund National Library on her Birthday, and financially supported Nursing Schools, Cancer Research, Tuberculosis eradication, Tertiary Education, Widows and Orphans of fallen Soldiers, victims of communal and terrorist violence in Plateau and Borno states, the elderly across the states, Artists and even victims of tanker explosions, should ideally be assessed and appreciated beyond the Akara comment.”
Sani urged Nigerians to adopt what he described as a fair and fact-based assessment of the First Lady’s public engagements.
“Be fair, use facts and figures and Just compare her outings with that of her recent predecessors,” he wrote.
