We wholeheartedly endorse Nasir el-Rufai for Kaduna governor

There is no doubt that Kaduna state will be one state to really look out for come this election; the keen battle ground will see the incumbent Governor Mukhtar Yero of the PDP take on Mallam Nasir el-Rufai of the APC and a former minister of the federal capital territory.

What is working in Yero’s favour is his incumbency, and the fact that the Vice President, Namadi Sambo will not want to lose in his own home state. However, given Sambo’s own lack of popularity in Kaduna, this may prove to be a red herring for the contestant.

Yero has been governor of Kaduna since assuming office in December 2012 following the death of his predecessor, Patrick Yakowa.

The late Yakowa started his governance of the state in 2010 on a blitz, completing projects started by Namadi Sambo, who had been governor before being

elevated to Vice President.

Yakowa, because of his zeal in working across the state, was elected governor in his own right in 2011. Unfortunately, fate intervened and Yero stepped in when he was killed in a helicopter crash. Sadly, Yero did not bring the same zeal to governance as his late predecessor did, and a lot of Yakowa’s initiatives have stalled.

Mutual distrust between communities in the state has gone up under Yero.

El-Rufai who is contesting on the political platform of the APC also enjoys the support of General Muhamadu Buhari whose political strength is an added advantage.

The APC flagbearer’s achievements while in office as minister of the FCT and in public administration is known to have proven huge success in the Abuja master plan under his former boss, Olusegun Obasanjo.

Though known as a sometimes temperamental person, El-Rufai has a deserved reputation for getting the job done, and it shows in the campaigning where Yero’s people have tried to convince the electorate in Kaduna that he is on a demolition mission as seen under his administration as FCT minister.

At YNaija, we know that sometimes to build, you have to demolish, so Yero’s tactics are an indictment on his own lack of progress. El-Rufai, as has earlier been stated, is a very competent administrator.

Our only worry is his temperament, and whether he will be able to build a bridge to unite the divided state. Other than that worry, there is absolutely no basis to compare both men, and we wholeheartedly endorse Nasiru El-Rufai for governor, Kaduna State.