2019: El-Rufai Appoints Running Mate As ‘Senior Adviser-Counsellor’

Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has appointed his 2019 governorship running, Hadiza Balarabe, as his ‘Senior Adviser-Councillor’ ahead of the polls.

Balarabe’s appointment was contained in a statement issued by Governor El-Rufai’s media aide, Mr Samuel Aruwan.

Aruwan revealed that the appointment of Balarabe takes effect immediately.

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

“In the new function, Mrs Balarabe is expected to work from Government House, overseeing key agencies reporting to the Governor like the State Pensions Board, KADGIS and KASUPDA, 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 she will be at the heart of government, attending meetings of the State Executive and Security Councils. This new responsibility places her within the second echelon of the government, next to the two elected leaders of the executive branch. She will join other senior officials to drive the policy and governance aspirations of the government in the remaining crucial months of the current mandate.

“The second echelon of the Kaduna State Government comprises of senior officials who are copied recipients of all correspondence from the governor, as part of governor El-Rufai’s strategy to ensure that not just him and the Deputy Governor are abreast of all issues and decisions the government is dealing with. These senior officials act as the principal advisers to the governor and also function as implementors and monitors of the governance agenda of the government.

“In her new role, Mrs Balarabe will attend all meetings and activities in the Governor’s office, and perform other assigned responsibilities. Mrs Balarabe is the first woman to join the second echelon since Hadiza Bala-Usman, El-Rufai’s first chief of staff, left to take up the leadership of the Nigerian Ports Authority.

“The new appointment is expected to further expose this accomplished medical doctor and public health expert to the entire workings of the Kaduna State Government,” read the statement by Aruwan.