President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, has appointed his wife, Mehriban Aliyeva as first Vice-President of the country. A statement on the government’s website had announced it on Tuesday before her presence at the cabinet meeting later in the day confirmed her appointment into the new position in the republic. She was formally introduced at the meeting where she was the only woman in attendance.

The creation of the new position of the first vice president was one of the decisions taken after a referendum in 2016 that extended the powers of the president. The referendum approved the proposal for an extension of the five-year term for presidents to a seven-year term. The referendum also lowered the age limit for presidents as opposition touts it as a ploy to see Aliyev’s 19-year old son succeed his father. The recent developments are being seen as a ploy by the president to hold onto power for as long as possible.

President Aliyev took over power from his father in 2003 after the death of the latter. He has since been in power. He was re-elected in 2008 for a second term of five years which has now been increased in 7 years. In 2009, a year after his re-election, he scrapped the law stopping a president from contesting after two terms. The move paved way for his re-election in 2013.

The first vice president is also a member of the parliament. It remains to be seen what functions the first vice president would be performing.  The oil-rich Asian country has redefined its growth in recent year investing heavily in the energy sector by striking deals with international agencies. The revenues from energy deals have helped fund international projects. The wealth of the nation, however, remains noninfluential in the lives of the citizens as poverty blamed on corrupt leadership has so far overshadowed development. The government has also been blamed for cracking down on journalists and human rights advocates.