Nasir El-Rufai, the governor of Kaduna State has picked a woman, Hajiya Hadiza Balarabe as running mate for the 2019 elections.
El-Rufai announced his choice on his Twitter handle on Friday, November 2, 2018.
Kaduna State Governor Nasir Ahmad @elrufai has announced the selection of Dr. Hadiza Balarabe as his running mate for the 2019 general election. The choice of Dr. Hadiza Balarabe as running mate continues Malam Nasir El-Rufai’s deliberate policy of promoting women. pic.twitter.com/yhjvv7CYRZ
— Governor Kaduna (@GovKaduna) November 2, 2018
His present deputy, Barnabas Bala Bantex has opted to contest the Kaduna South senatorial seat.
With this ticket, El Rufai has chosen to present Muslim-Muslim ticket to the Kaduna electorate. This move, which strengthens the autocratic governor’s image as an intolerant fundamentalist, has been greeted with protests by the Christian community in the South Western state.
Dear Nigerians,
Seen & read reactions trailing @elrufai's Muslim-Muslim ticket in KD state.If his decision isn't acceptable by Southern KD people & Christians,they have a chance to show that in thousands of polling units in their areas in 2019(in 12 out of 23 LGAs in the state).— john danfulani (@john_danfulani) November 4, 2018
Having killed and reduced the number of Christians in Kaduna, Nasir El Rufai believes that a Muslim to Muslim ticket is a win win @segalink
— Onyenobi Teddy (@catchupted) November 4, 2018
Mallam Nasir Elrufai after indigenes of Kaduna State voted for him in 2015. pic.twitter.com/CvDTr1jNZo
— Ndi Kato (@YarKafanchan) November 4, 2018
Is @Elrufai trying to set Kaduna on fire? How can he, a Muslim, name Hadiza Balarabe, another Muslim as his running mate? In an untra sensitive religious state like Kaduna, it is vital to balance the ticket to give Christians a sense of belonging so that peace reigns #RenosDarts
— Reno Omokri (@renoomokri) November 2, 2018
https://twitter.com/realKefason/status/1059095123374555136
Hadiza Balarabe, a medical doctor from Sanga council in Kaduna south, was the former executive secretary of Kaduna Primary Health Care Development Agency.
“She will be the first elected female Deputy Governor in Kaduna State”, El-Rufai tweeted.
According to Daily Trust, Hadiza is a Numana by tribe and hails from Gwantu was attending a conference in Kenya when she was invited back home by Governor El-Rufai.
She will be the second female deputy governor of the state after Pamela Sadauki.
She’s a trained medical consultant on public health and primary health care.
She obtained her MBBS from the University of Maiduguri in 1988. She had worked as a public health consultant, public health physician, Federal Capital Territory Primary Health Care Board, and director public health, Federal Capital Territory Administration.
