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SOKEFO endorses Balarabe as El-Rufai’s running mate

By Abdulganiyu Alabi, Kaduna
05 November 2018   |   3:52 am
The Southern Kaduna Elder's Forum (SOKEFO has endorsed Dr. Hadiza Balarabe as running mate to Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai in 2019.

The Southern Kaduna Elder’s Forum (SOKEFO has endorsed Dr. Hadiza Balarabe as running mate to Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai in 2019.

Earlier, El-Rufai had announced the picking of a Muslim as his running mate, a choice that was strongly criticised
due to the ethno-religious background of the state.

In a statement issued on behalf of the forum, Rev. Musa Kokwain warned southern Kaduna indigenes against making divisive statements, adding that all hands must be on deck to support Balarabe’s candidature.

The forum noted that Balarabe is a bonafide Southern Kaduna indigene, and as such should not be denied the opportunity of becoming a deputy governor because of her faith.

The statement reads: “We the Southern Kaduna Elders Forum, after careful deliberations, hereby endorse the deputy governorship candidacy of our daughter, Dr. Hadiza Balarabe, for the 2019 elections.

“We the elders of Southern Kaduna Forum call on all our people from this zone to exercise restraint and caution especially after the announcement of Balarabe as the running mate to the Kaduna State governor for the 2019 elections.

“We have observed some divisive statements emanating from some quarters since the news broke out and reiterate the fact that all hands must be on deck to desist from this religious dichotomy that is being propagated in Southern Kaduna.

” It is unfortunate and depressing when some of us stood up and formed this group in 1995 to advance and advocate for Gurara State (Southern Kaduna) with different memoranda at the national constitutional conference during the Sani Abacha military administration, we were a group of passionate indigenous people of Southern Kaduna.

“We had in us Christians and Muslims from Southern Kaduna, we had the bajju, the Kaje, numana, Kataf and Chonga, among others, all united for the common good of our vision of a Gurara State.

“It will be very selfish of us if we persecute Dr. Hadiza to alienate her from her ancestral home of Southern Kaduna by denying her this opportunity particularly because of her faith.

“When we pushed for this onerous cause of a united prosperous Gurara State in 1995, we had the least of worries that we will be confronted with this petty level of divisiveness and intolerance.

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