el-Rufai says Muslim-Muslim ticket is work not church
Governor of Kaduna state, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai has come hard on people criticising the state’s Muslim-Muslim ticket ahead next year’s gubernatorial election, stating that the Government House is not a place of worship but a place of work.
The governor made the statement on Tuesday in defence of his choice of a Muslim as his running mate for the 2019 election, saying that he consulted President Muhammadu Buhari before he eventually made his choice.
His choice of Dr. Hadiza Balarabe, a Muslim, from Sanga local government area in the Southern part of the state, had attracted mixed reactions, with some people accusing him of being insensitive to the diversity in Kaduna state.
But speaking when a delegation from Sanga local government, led by their traditional ruler, the Etum Numana, Brig. Gen. Aliyu Yamma (rtd), paid him a thank you visit for choosing their daughter as his running mate, el-Rufai said, those criticising him for his choice are people who never voted for him.
According to him, Hadiza beat 31 other candidates during the selection process to emerge.
He said about a year ago, the Deputy Governor, Mr. Barnabas Bala Bantex, told him that he was going to contest for senate, adding that this put him in dilemma to get a replacement for Bantex.
“So, we started piling list of people for consideration and I had up to 32 names, including names of some people seated with me here today.
“At that point, and as usual of us, when we are taking serious decisions we consult President Muhammadu Buhari, because he is the only person I know that has worked in the army, he has been governor, minister and President.
“So, when I told him, he said anyone older than you should be dropped, then one name was dropped, remaining two men and two women, then he said, since you are interested in a woman pick the best woman. That was how I picked Hadiza because she was the best” the governor explained.
“But some people started all manner of things, ‘Muslim-Muslim ticket’ and so on.
“But Government House is not a place of worship, we come here to work for the people,” el-Rufai said.
