The Overview: Presidential Candidates And The Women In Their Lives

        The presidential candidate’s wife is one of the most important and frequently deployed surrogates. Her marital position affords her close proximity to the man who will potentially be the most powerful individual in any government, with the public viewing her as an extension of the candidate and part of his carriage.

Consequently, with the February presidential election heating up and candidates gearing up for the mother of all elections, the two major contenders of the highest office in the land, incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan and General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) no doubt have a lot on their plates at the moment.

By criss-crossing every nook and cranny of the country’s political landscape canvassing for votes and trying to run issues-based campaigns, the electorate may have just become so familiar with them that they tend to forget that these men even have spouses.

Luckily, until very recently, the wives of these candidates have not come under serious media spotlight but clandestine discussions are rife as to how these women will affect their husband’s chances at the polls; after all, it is said that behind every successful man is an equally successful woman.

In this piece, ANDREW ESSIEN takes a look at how the wives of these presidential candidates will shape their spouses’ chances at the polls.

The wife of the presidential candidate has repeatedly been described as some kind of human emery board, thrust forward to smoothen out the candidate’s rough edges and make him more acceptable to voters. While representing her husband, she is expected to, among other things, play multiple roles as both the traditional wife and the political surrogate and advocate.

The candidate’s wife serves as an effective spousal surrogate by speaking to her husband’s authenticity as a human being and as a candidate. By providing evidence of his authenticity, she may be offering his candidacy the unspoken and intangible elements that can bolster his image and override the character flaws or policy issues that are frequently debated in campaigns but whether that is true in this present political dispensation remains a story for another day.

Over time, political analysts say that candidate’s wives have taken on an increasingly important and prominent role in campaigning. They make more speeches, give more interviews and discuss a wider array of topics now than in past elections. This increased political activity is tempered by the finding that most spousal political-oriented talks remain restricted to issues within a traditionally feminine sphere of influence.

Therefore, as President Jonathan and Gen Buhari continue to run their campaigns at full throttle ahead of the election, their wives have the same role: energise the base and humanise their husbands.

Dame Patience Jonathan has been in the saddle for the past six years and her power, visibility and antics are well known and documented. Born in 1957 into a respectable Christian family of Chief Lazarus Iwari-Oba in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, the current First Lady of Nigeria was also, at a time, a permanent secretary in the Bayelsa State government until she resigned her position following an alleged falling out with the state governor, Seriake Dickson.

From the very beginning of the campaigns, the first lady has not minced words in asking the electorate not to yield to the advances of other aspirants, saying they could not guarantee their freedom. According to her, only Jonathan can protect and defend their rights among all the aspirants for the seat. She has also vigorously canvassed for women to actively participate in the ongoing electoral processes in the country, saying it was time for them to challenge their male counterparts for elective positions.

At every opportunity, she pleads with the populace, especially women and youths, to give support to her husband who, she says, has shown that he is not only gender sensitive but believes in the power and capacity of women to bring about change in society. According to her, “it is now time for us to show him our appreciation for all he has been doing for us.”

On the issue of educational qualification, Mama Peace, as she likes to be called, had her school leaving certificate in 1976 and the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in 1980. In 1989, she obtained the National Certificate of Education (NCE) in Mathematics and Biology from the Rivers State College of Arts and Science, Port Harcourt. She then proceeded to the University of Port Harcourt and studied Biology and Psychology.

Patience Jonathan started her career as a teacher at the Stella Maris College, Port Harcourt, and was later an administrator at the Sports Institute, Isake. From there she moved to the banking sector in 1997 where she established the first community bank in Port Harcourt called the Akpo Community Bank. She served as the marketing manager of Imiete Community Bank. She returned to the classroom briefly again as teacher. Eventually, she was transferred to the Bayelsa State Ministry of Education, where she served until May 29, 1999, when her husband became the deputy governor of the state. On July 12, 2012, she was appointed a permanent secretary in Bayelsa State. She and her husband have two children.

On the side the main opponent to Jonathan in the presidential election, General Buhari has a softer angle, represented by his wife, Hajia Aisha Buhari. Like her husband, she is self-confident, pretty and charming.

Aisha Buhari was born in Adamawa State into the family of the first minister of defence, Hon. Mohammadu Ribadu. A thoroughbred Fulani woman, she is the granddaughter of the first Ciroma of Adamawa, meaning she has royal blood.

An alumnus of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Aisha Buhari studied Public Administration. She will later go into the field of Physiotherapy and Beauty Therapy. A graduate of International Affairs and Strategic Planning and also an alumna of Carlton Institute of London and the Academy of Esthetique Beauty, Institute of France, where she earned a post-graduate diploma in Cosmetology and Beauty Therapy.

Until this election, the wife of the APC presidential flag bearer has largely been quiet. She has been trying to get into the consciousness of Nigerians by harping on the same anti-corruption tunes her husband has been singing since the campaigns started, even promising to abide by the dictates of the constitution as regards the office of the first lady should it ever be recognised as being unconstitutional.

According to her, where such does not exist constitutionally, she will limit her roles to the traditional functions of visiting orphanages and caring for society’s downtrodden as the first lady.

In trying to sway voters towards her husband, Mrs Buhari urges women to unite and cooperate with the men by mobilising women at all levels to ensure success for the APC at the February polls, while urging them to redouble their efforts in educating other women on how to cast their votes and, at the same time, be civil in their conduct.

With the other presidential aspirants shielding their wives from public view, these women can no doubt constitute factors that can make or mar the public approval ratings of their husbands on the campaign trail in the days and weeks ahead. There is no gainsaying that they have their husbands’ ear and, as such, will play significant roles in decision making and strategy as the election draws increasingly closer.