El-Rufai appoints Hadiza of BBOG as chief of staff

Nasir El-Rufai, governor of Kaduna state, has appointed Hadiza Bala Usman as his chief of staff.

Samuel Aruwan,‎ the governor’s spokesman, made the announcement on Monday.

Bala Usman is a notable figure in the All Progressives Congress (APC), where she served in a number of committees and capacities, key among, which are administrative secretary of the Buhari presidential campaign organisation, secretary of the APC elections planning committee, and member of the APC strategy committee.

She was also director of finance in the Nasir El-Rufai campaign organisation, and later the Kaduna state APC campaign council.

The Zaria-born activist came into national reckoning in April 2014 when she started the #Bringbackourgirls (BBOG) movement‎ to pressure the government into stepping up efforts towards the quick rescue of more than 200 schoolgirls abducted from their hostel at Chibok, Borno state.

The group, which she co-founded with Obiageli Ezekwesili, former minister of education, faced stiff opposition from the past government of Goodluck Jonathan.

Owing to her membership of the APC, the Jonathan government discred‎ited the group as working for the opposition and accused it of plotting to bring down the administration.

For her humanitarian efforts, the business administration graduate was named among the most influential women of 2014 by Financial Times (FT) while CNN named her as the most inspiring woman of 2014.

Ezekwesili has expressed delight with Hadiza’s appointment.

Delighted for Kaduna People. My brother @elrufai has named @hadizabalausman as his Chief of Staff. Character. Capacity. Competence>>>Hadiza.

— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) June 29, 2015

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Get on to HARD WORK @hadizabalausman as Chief of Staff to my brother @elrufai . You are a true daughter of beloved friend Dr.Bala Usman. {}

— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) June 29, 2015

“Delighted for Kaduna People. My brother @elrufai has named @hadizabalausman as his Chief of Staff. Character. Capacity. Competence>>>Hadiza,” she tweeted.

“Get on to HARD WORK @hadizabalausman as Chief of Staff to my brother @elrufai . You are a true daughter of beloved friend Dr.Bala Usman.”