Ministerial Slot: Group Urges Tinubu To Pick El-Rufai’s Replacement From Southern Kaduna

The Southern Kaduna Journalists Forum has appealed to Bola Ahmed Tinubu to follow the precedence set in Kaduna State of picking a minister from the south if the governor is from the northern part of the state.

A statement issued by the forum’s Chairman and Secretary, Ango Bally and Lilian Silas Zubairu, respectively, on Wednesday said, “A precedence had been set between 1999 to 2014, wherein, when the governor of the state is elected from the northern part, the ministerial appointment and Secretary to the State Government goes to the southern part and vice versa. This ensured equity, fairness, and inclusive governance.”

Recall that a ministerial slot for Kaduna State is still vacant following the rejection of the immediate former governor, Nasir El-Rufai, by security reports for approval to represent the state as minister.

According to the statement, “Since the return of democratic governance in 1999, previous administrations, both at the state and national levels had demonstrated fair distribution of appointments between the northern and southern parts of the state.”

The forum explained that the present Governor of the state, Senator Uba Sani, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr Tajjudeen Abbas, the Speaker of the State Assembly, and the Secretary to the State Government are all from the northern part, stressing that it is in the interest of equity, justice and fairness that the position of the minister be given to the southern part of the state.

“We hereby make a passionate appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to please consider picking el-Rufai’s replacement from Southern Kaduna for equity, fairness, and inclusion. The candidate could be any competent person from Southern Kaduna, irrespective of party, or religious affiliation,” the forum said.

The forum expressed confidence that if a minister is picked from Southern Kaduna, it would bring the people of the region closer to the government and align their interests with Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda”.