Kaduna: How El-Rufai picked APC’s ticket
Nasir el-Rufai, former FCT minister, scaled the first hurdle in his bid to become governor of Kaduna state when he picked the opposition party’s ticket in Thursday’s primary election.
He polled 1,965 delegate votes to beat his closest rival, Isa Ashiru Kudan, to the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Kudan had 1,379 delegates on his side.
El-Rufai effectively became the candidate of the party long before the primary when he played a major role in the setting up of the APC structure in the state, as reported by TheCable in July.
With the state congress concluded and party executives in place, el-Rufai deftly worked his way to secure a majority of the delegates that would vote in the governorship primary.
It was clear to APC members after the house of assembly primary on Monday that el-Rufai was coasting home to victory, having helped his key allies to get the tickets.
Kudan, his closest rival, is the vice-chairman of the appropriation committee of the house of representatives.
While el-Rufai enjoys the backing of Muhammadu Buhari, former head of state and APC presidential aspirant who is very popular in Kaduna state, Kudan was supported by the former governor of the state, Ahmed Makarfi ─ both of whom come from the same constituency ─ although Makarfi is in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Atiku Abubakar, former vice president and an APC presidential aspirant, was also said to be backing Kudan, who defected from PDP to APC early this year as part of his plans to run for governorship.
Prior to the primary, el-Rufai controlled over 70% of the party structure in the state and successfully helped to install Barnabas Bala Bantex as the state chairman.
Bantex is a popular politician in southern Kaduna, having been chairman of Kaura LGA and a member of the house of representatives before.
Bantex was elected APC state chairman in a competitive election in June, polling 634 votes to defeat his closest rival and Ashiru’s candidate, Aliyu Lawal Silver, who had 381 delegates in his corner.
APC FLAGBEARERS |
| Akwa Ibom Umana Okon Umana |
| Borno Kashim Shettima (incumbent) |
| Delta O’tega Emerhor |
| Enugu Oky Ezea |
| Gombe Inuwa Yahaya |
| Jigawa Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia |
| Kaduna Nasir El-Rufai |
| Kano Abdullahi Umar Ganduje |
| Kwara Abdulfatah Ahmed (incumbent) |
| Lagos Akinwunmi Ambode |
| Nasarawa Umaru Al-Makura Tanko (incumbent) |
| Ogun Ibikunle Amosun (incumbent) |
| Oyo Abiola Ajimobi (incumbent) |
| Rivers Dakuku Adol Peterside |
| Sokoto Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (speaker, house of reps) |
| Taraba Aisha Jummai Al-Hassan |
| Yobe Ibrahim Geidam |
| Zamfara Abdulaziz Yari (inucumbent) |
Congrat bros. This is one of the few species with better ideas about governance and its internal workings. El-Rufai’s hippopotamic achievements as FCT Minster under Obasanjo remains unsurpassed. Let someone challenge my view.
U re correct my brother
Who are the governorship candidates in Katsina, Bauchi, Niger, Kogi, Benue, Plateau, Abia, Ebonyi and Cross River? Is Senator Jubrilla Bindow still the candidate in Adamawa?