The African Action Congress presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has said he would not establish an official office for the First Lady if elected President of Nigeria in the 2027 general election.
Sowore made the declaration on Thursday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Tonight, arguing that the Nigerian Constitution does not establish an office of the First Lady.
According to him, becoming President would not affect his marriage, but his wife would not occupy an official government position as First Lady.
“There is no office of First Lady in the Nigerian Constitution,” Sowore said, adding that his wife would remain his wife but would not hold an official office under his administration.
The AAC candidate said women would continue to have a role in his administration but questioned the use of public resources to maintain an office that he considers constitutionally unrecognised.
“Women will be heard,” he said, while arguing that public funds should instead be directed towards government projects and development programmes.
Sowore subsequently stated that the establishment of an office for the President’s wife would not form part of his proposed government structure.
Constitutional position
The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria does not expressly establish an official constitutional office titled “First Lady.”
The title is nevertheless commonly used for the wife of the sitting President and has been associated with various public programmes and initiatives. The State House currently identifies Senator Oluremi Tinubu as the First Lady of Nigeria.
The distinction between a constitutionally established public office and a role or administrative structure created around the Presidency has been relevant to discussions about the activities of presidential spouses.
Sowore’s position is that his administration would not maintain such an office or use public funds for it.
He also sought to distinguish the proposed policy from the role of women in government, saying women would continue to have a voice under his administration.
The declaration comes as political parties and presidential candidates intensify preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Sowore, who is seeking the presidency under the AAC, is among the candidates positioning themselves ahead of the election. His latest proposal forms part of his broader argument for changes to how public resources and government institutions are organised.
The statement is likely to contribute to ongoing discussions about the role of presidential spouses, public expenditure and the boundaries between informal political traditions and constitutionally established government offices.
For now, the office of First Lady remains a title and institutional arrangement associated with Nigeria’s Presidency, despite not being expressly created as a constitutional office under the 1999 Constitution.
Sowore’s stated position is that, if elected, his administration would discontinue the official office and instead focus government resources on constitutionally established institutions and development priorities.
