Presidents, governors should choose capable deputies that can take over if they drop dead – El Rufai
The governor of Kaduna state, Malam Nasir El-Rufai has said that the reason why presidents and governors have deputies is for the purpose of having a capable hand that can replace their principal if he dies.
He said this while trying to justify his action of choosing a Muslim running mate against the convention of the state which requires a Muslim governor to choose a Christian deputy.
The parity which is also the norm on the national level where a Muslim president is expected to choose a Christian vice president is an unwritten rule that is followed in reflection of the duality of religion in the country.
And in the case of Kaduna where religious crisis has caused tension among the people, El-Rufai has been accused of causing more division by adopting a Muslim-Muslim ticket.
But he argues that religion should not take preeminence in such appointments, adding that making such concessions has not succeeded in unifying the Muslim and Christian communities in the state.
“The reason why the governors and president have deputies is in the event of mortalities. I am 58 to 59 years old; I could drop dead. I have to pick someone in the event I drop dead, which can happen anytime. Can that person run the state competently? That was what determined my choice in 2015 and that determined my choice in 2019. Religion or ethnicity are at the back of my mind,” he said.
