Nasir El-Rufai Reshuffles Cabinet, Assigns His Top Loyalists into Prominent Positions, Ahead of 2019 General Elections [Detail]

Nasir El-Rufai Reshuffles Cabinet, Assigns His Top Loyalists into Prominent Positions, Ahead of 2019 General Elections [Detail]

Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, on Friday night, reshuffled his cabinet, ahead of the 2019 general elections.

According to a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor, Samuel Aruwan, the reorganisation of the Executive Council followed the vacancy created by the exit of Suleiman Aliyu Lere, former Commissioner of Water Resources, and the death of the Commissioner of Education, Andrew Nok.

However, there are allegations that El-Rufai’s core loyalists were assigned into strategic positions in the rearrangement of the cabinet, as he moves to seek for a second term as Governor in 2019.

The new commissioners are:

1. Mrs. Ruth Geoffrey Alkali, Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism
2. Dr. Ibrahim Hamza, Pioneer Director-General of the Kaduna Facility Management Agency (KADFAMA), is appointed for the Ministry of Water Resources.

The following Commissioners are assuming new portfolios:

3. Dr. Manzo Maigari, is moving from the Ministry of Commerce, Industry & Tourism, to the Ministry of Agriculture & Forestry.
4. Professor Kabir Mato, is moving from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, to the Ministry for Local Government.
5. Ja’afaru Sani, is moving from the Ministry for Local Government, to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.

6.Balaraba Aliyu-Inuwa, is moving from the Ministry of Rural and Community Development, to the Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport.

7. Hassan Usman Mahmud, is moving from the Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport, to the Ministry of Rural and Community Development.

Commissioners retaining their portfolios are:

8. Umma Hikima, Ministry of Justice.
9. Suleiman Abdu Kwari, Ministry of Finance.
10. Dr. Paul Dogo, Ministry of Health and Human Services.
11. Muhammed Sani Abdullahi, Planning and Budget Commission.
12. Amina Dyeris Sijuwade, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources.
13. Daniel Amuze DanAuta, Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture
14. Hafsat Mohammed Baba, Ministry of Women Affairs & Social Development

Also, Shehu Balarabe, Commissioner for Stakeholder Relations in the Governor’s Office, is reassigned as a Commissioner in the Fiscal Responsibility Commission.