El-Rufai picks ex-commissioner as his chief of staff

Nasir el-rufai, governor of Kaduna state, has appointed Muhammad Abdullahi, an economist, as his chief of staff.

Abdullahi was the commissioner of planning and budget in the governor’s first term. He also served as director of strategy for the governor’s re-election campaign.

Before moving to Kaduna, he served as a policy adviser at the executive office of the United Nations secretary general under the leadership of Ban Ki Moon. He was a member of the core team that developed the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Muhammad is the governor’s third chief of staff. Those who occupied the office before are Muhammad Saidu and Hadiza Bala Usman, the current managing director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).

The governor has also approved the appointment of seven other officials, including new heads for the State Primary Health Care Development Agency (SPHCDA) and the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).

The other appointees were Bala Mohammed, deputy chief of staff (legislative), Hamza Abubakar, executive secretary, SPHCDA, Ben Kure, special adviser, political matters and Omano Edigheji, special adviser, research and documentation.

Maimuna Zakari, executive secretary, Habiba Ibrahim and Jamilu Albani to head SEMA, special assistant, Geographic Information Service and director-general, interfaith matters.