Hadiza Bala Usman, former Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), organised a book reading for her memoir, ‘Stepping on Toes: My Odyssey at the Nigerian Ports Authority’, in Abuja on Saturday.

In the book, Usman detailed her experience while managing the nation’s ports, especially in dealing with the political stakeholders in the industry.

The Kaduna-born administrator said the book was aimed at documenting her side of the controversies that defined her exit from office, culminating in her sack by President Muhammadu Buhari.

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The background to her removal was the allegations of mismanagement of public funds made by Rotimi Ameachi, erstwhile minister of transportation, to the tune of N165 billion.

The book reading had political figures in attendance, among whom was Kashim Shettima, the vice-president-elect, who took turns to give some remarks about the author, stressing the importance of quality reading culture.

In his address, Shettima promised the audience that the incoming administration of Tinubu would be fair to all genders. He reportedly buttressed assurances with the fact that Tinubu once had a female as his deputy while governing Lagos State.

“She is an iron lady, I don’t think I have the courage to write such a book. Be that as it may, I am here in solidarity with our sister. We need to show empathy and support for our women,” Shettima said of the author.

“There is a popular saying among the people of Ghana that if you educate a man, you have educated an individual, and if you educate a woman, you have educated a nation.”

Shettima added: “Be rest assured that the incoming administration of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu will be gender-friendly. He was the first governor to appoint a female as his deputy; he is also the first person to appoint a woman as a Chief Judge of a state.”

CLAIMS: Tinubu was the first governor to appoint a female as his deputy. He is also the first person to appoint a woman as a Chief Judge of a state.

His claims have generated different reactions on the social media, with some netizens coming up with different names as first deputy governors and state chief judges.

VERIFICATION: FIJ reviewed media and archival sources to establish the veracity of Shettima’s claims.

First, our findings show Nigeria had its first female deputy governor in the third republic in the person of Alhaja Sinatu Ojikutu. She served with Michael Otedola between January 1992 and November 1993 when the military coupists struck again in the country.

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Our findings also reveal that the first female chief judge of a state in Nigeria was Justice Rosaline Omotosho, who presided over Lagos state judiciary from  from April 12, 1995 to February 27, 1996.

CONCLUSION: Shettima, a former governor of Borno state, was wrong in claiming that Tinubu was the first state governor to make such appointments.

VERDICT: The claims are false.