By Saleh Inuwa, Kano
Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has endorsed Senator Uba Sani for the 2023 governorship election in the state on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Neptune Prime learnt that the decision was reached after an extensive discussion with some of the aspirants, where the governor made his choice known to them.
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“We met for about three hours. Everyone was consulted to allow my decision to prevail and I have chosen Uba Sani as the flag bearer,” the governor said in a message sent by one of the aspirants sighted this medium.
“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.”
It was also learnt that the governor asked a 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, who was earlier considered as the anointed candidate of the governor was said to have been planning to pick the governorship form on Friday tomorrow – May 6, 2022 before he was dropped by the governor for Senator Sani.
One of the aides to the senator also confirmed the governor’s choice, noting that he started consultation nearly two years ago ahead of other aspirants.
“We are happy that the governor has anointed him. He started ahead of these other aspirants. The APC is a big family and we expect everybody to work with him for the good of the party,” one of the senator’s aide said.
El-Rufai had earlier mentioned during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme, that 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.
It was garthered that the members of El-Rufai’s core team include Uba Sani, the 10 other members of the team are the deputy governor, Hadiza Balarabe, 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).
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