El-Rufai’s ‘lopsided appointments’ brewing hatred

The Centrum Initiative for Development and Fundamental Rights Initiative (CEDRA) says Nasir el-Rufai’s “lopsided appointments” are brewing hatred in the state.

The group also called on the governor to sack his special adviser on investment promotion, Jimmy Lawal, who it said was on the US wanted list.

John Danfulani, executive chairman and director of strategy of CEDRA, who reiterated the content of a report on el-Rufai’s 100 days in office, said the governor has not paid attention to the ethno-religious composition of the state.

“CEDRA believes that el-rufai’s appointments and retirement so far did not put ethno-religious composition of the state into consideration,” he said.

“Of the 13 commissioners appointed, only four are Christians and the remaining nine are Moslems. Of the remaining permanent secretaries in the state, only three are Christians.

“Of the most senior and key officers of his administration like chief of staff, principal private secretary (PPS) and secretary to the state government (SSG), none is a Christian and from Southern Kaduna.”

He further accused the governor of polarising a volatile state like Kaduna, adding that ghost workers still abound in the state’s payroll.

“This lopsidedness in his appointment is brewing hatred and further polarising a very volatile state like Kaduna that is known for its ethno-religious skirmishes. Hums in all the political parlances of Southern Kaduna and Christian community suggest that irredentism and bigotry they accused him of, is gradually unfolding.

“The most serious part of this is clear knowledge that the huge bureaucracy is infested with ghost workers incorporated into the salary bills by fraudsters. It is also an open secret that people who retired or died long ago still had their names on the payrolls of many government departments and ministries.”

The group threatened to organise a mass protest if the governor fails to sack Lawal and consider the issues raised in CEDRA’s ‘100 days document’.