Former Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, says she has no regrets over her removal, insisting President Bola Tinubu could not have deliberately acted to hurt her.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Political Paradigm on Tuesday, Kennedy-Ohanenye reflected on her tenure, leadership style, and the circumstances surrounding her dismissal.
“I have no regrets. If anything, I wish I had been tougher. It is difficult to rule Nigerians. The president is working, the governors are working, but what are Nigerians doing in between? If you want to achieve anything, you must go offline and be firm,” she said.
She added that during her time in office, she ensured nothing improper occurred within her responsibilities. “In the office I was given, I did not allow anything to happen anyhow,” she said.
Defending her approach amid criticism, Kennedy-Ohanenye said she could not compromise her convictions. “Being diplomatic does not mean agreeing to things that are destroying your country. I cannot agree to things I know are harmful,” she added.
The former minister stressed that she remains at peace with her decisions. “I am out now, and whatever they are doing there is none of my business. I did what made me happy, and my conscience is clear,” she said.
On whether her removal was unfair, she noted that political decisions often involve behind-the-scenes factors. “The President cannot do anything purposely to hurt me. He is proud of me and the way I worked. There must have been something beyond his control at that time,” she said, adding she remains on good terms with Tinubu.
Kennedy-Ohanenye also disclosed she is not seeking another political appointment but remains committed to advocacy against gender-based violence.
She criticised inefficiencies in the civil service, claiming they contribute to about 70% of Nigeria’s challenges. She alleged that some ministry budgets were approved without her involvement and that she spent around ₦400 million of her own money after seeing no evidence that the $100 million Nigerian women project was executed. She also mentioned an EFCC petition against her over an alleged ₦138 million fraud, insisting the government still owes her reimbursement.
Appointed Minister in August 2023, Kennedy-Ohanenye focused on women’s economic empowerment and social inclusion. She was dismissed on October 23, 2024, during a cabinet reshuffle that removed five ministers.
Her tenure was marked by controversy, including a widely criticised proposal to give schoolchildren Fridays off for production activities, allegations against the UN over unaccounted funds, opposition to a mass wedding in Niger State (later reversed), and a leaked phone conversation in which she threatened female students testifying in a sexual harassment case—an incident she later apologised for. She also disrupted several Abuja events, alleging organisers impersonated her ministry.
These incidents contributed to the public backlash leading up to her removal.
