El-Rufai appoints running mate, Hadiza, Senior Adviser-Counsellor

Godwin Isenyo, Kaduna

Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, on Thursday appointed his recently-announced running mate in the 2019 elections, Hadiza Balarabe, as Senior Adviser-Counsellor.

A government statement by the el-Rufai’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr Samuel Aruwan, said the appointment was with immediate effect.

Hadiza is the Executive Secretary of the State Primary Health Care Development Agency.

According to the statement, she is expected to work from Government House, overseeing key agencies reporting to the governor like the State Pensions Board, Kaduna Geographical Information Service and Kaduna Urban Property Development Agency, advising the governor on matters of human capital development, and understudying him and the deputy governor in all aspects of governance.

As senior adviser-counsellor, the government statement said she would be at the heart of government, attending meetings of the state executive and security councils.

It added that the new responsibility placed her within the second echelon of the government, next to the two elected leaders of the executive arm.

It also said she would join other senior officials to drive the policy and governance aspirations of the government in the remaining crucial months of the tenure.

The statement read, “The second echelon of the Kaduna State Government comprises senior officials who are copied recipients of all correspondence from the governor, as part of Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s strategy to ensure that not just he and the Deputy Governor are abreast of all issues and decisions the government is dealing with.

“These senior officials act as principal advisers to the governor, and also function as implementers and monitors of the governance agenda of the government.

“In her new role, Dr Hadiza Balarabe will attend all meetings and activities in the governor’s office, and perform other assigned responsibilities.”