Why I Removed My Chief Of Staff – El-Rufai Breaks Silence

Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State has disclosed why he removed his Chief of Staff, Muhammed Sani Abdullahi.

Ezenwoko’s Blog had reported that the governor sacked Abdullahi as his Chief of Staff and appointed him as the Commissioner for Budget and Planning Commission.

Speaking during a media chat in Kaduna on Tuesday, El-Rufai stated that Abdullahi was transferred in order to solve the budget challenges in the ministry and to assist the government work better.

The governor noted that Abdullahi’s deployment as a commissioner was in the interest of the state, adding that he was actually in charge of the ministry in 2019.

El-Rufai, however, refuted claims that the former Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, was responsible for the removal of the Chief of Staff.

The governor stated that Sanusi has nothing to do with his cabinet reshuffle, saying that the former monarch does not interfere in the running of his administration.

El-Rufai described the drama between Sanusi and Abdullahi at a recent event as a historical joke between Zaria and Kano people in which Zaria considered Kano people as their slaves.

He said: “The relationship between me and Sanusi was advisory and not on how to run the government.

“He is the vice-chancellor of our state university because he is a professional in that aspect. Secondly, he is the deputy chairman of KADIPA.

“These are the two areas he is assisting us with advice and again everybody knows Muhammadu Sanusi is a qualified economist and so I only seek his advice on this aspect.

“But not on how I run my government or who will work with me. I don’t seek advice from anybody outside my colleagues in the government and we usually sit together to discuss.”