Husband divorces wife over decision to vote for Buhari

A husband, Abdullahi Yadau, has divorced his wife, Hafsat Suleiman, over political differences between them in Kanem Local Government Area of Plateau state.

Yadau told the BBC Hausa service that he pronounced the divorce on his wife in the presence of her parents after she insisted on voting for President Muhammadu Buhari in the forthcoming presidential election, while he was supporting Atiku Abubakar of the PDP.

He said in previous elections he and wife had supported Buhari, “but the president has disappointed me to the extent that I hate him now. But my wife loves the president beyond my imagination. I told her that she can only vote for Buhari at the expense of her marriage.”

He said a serious disagreement ensued between them which led to him beating her and breaking her teeth.

“When our neighbours heard her crying, they came to find out what was happening but we both refused to tell them,” Yadau said, adding that she later left for her parents’ house.

“Her parents sent for me and I went. I hold her parents in high esteem because they were nice to me right from the time we started courtship.

“I told them what happened and said we can’t remain together if she would not obey my instructions. When she insisted, I divorced her in the presence of her parents,” he said.

He said the parents were not happy but he was also angry when he pronounced the divorce twice on his wife.

Asked if his wife was not entitled to her choice, Yadau said his wife can only have her way with an irresponsible husband.

Attempts to hear from the embattled wife were unsuccessful, but her brother Ibrahim Suleiman expressed sadness over the development, saying his sister will never return to her husband who pronounced the divorce twice.

He said they had earlier resolved to do deal with the husband but their father stopped them.