Kaduna: Deputy gov, former CoS look on as el-Rufai picks successor

Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State has endorsed Senator Uba Sani (APC, Kaduna Central) as his successor and flag bearer as the party primary draws near.

“We met for about three hours. Everyone consented to allow Mallam’s decision to prevail. He has chosen Uba as the flag bearer,” the Daily Trust quoted a source.

“We need to accept this as the will of Allah SWT and avoid unnecessary back talk. Let’s see how to manage our supporters amicably,” a message sent out by one of the aspirants, which was sighted by this newspaper, reads.

El-Rufai also told the  former Chief of Staff and two-time former Commissioner of Budget and Planning, Muhammed Sani Abdullahi, popularly known as Dattijo, to pick the form for Kaduna Central Senatorial District.

Dattijo lost his place last year when he referred to the deposed emir of Knao, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, as former emir.

El-Rufai had, while featuring on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme, said his preference of a successor is in his core team.

“My preference is in our core team; that is the first 11. I said core team because these are the guys that have worked with me since 2014 to organise our party, our campaign, and we won and got elected,” El-Rufai said.

The core team includes Uba Sani, the deputy governor, Hadiza Balarabe, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Balarabe Abbas Lawal, three commissioners – Bashir Saidu (Finance), Muhammed Sani Abdullahi (Budget and Planning) and Samuel Aruwan (Internal Security).

Others are Senator Sule Kwari (Kaduna North), Jimi Lawal (Senior Adviser, Councillor), Hafiz Bayero (Administrator, Kaduna Municipal Authority), Muyiwa Adekeye (Special Adviser, Media) and Saude Atoyebi (Deputy Chief of Staff).