I’m not cloned -El-rufai

Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai on Friday evening returned to the state after his rumoured accident involvement, saying that, he is not cloned from abroad.

This was as the Governor tackled the former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar over his claim that, he defeated President Muhammadu Buhari in the February 23rd presidential election in Kaduna state.

El-Rufai said, President Buhari had consistently won Kaduna since he started contesting elections in 2003, therefore, anyone claiming to have defeated him (Buhari) in 2019 needs psychiatric assistance.

It would be recalled that, Atiku who is the Presidential candidate of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) had claimed he won the 2019 presidential election with 1.6 million votes above Buhari’s. He also claimed to have won he states including Kaduna.

 

The Governor who spoke at a welcome reception organised for him at Sir Kashim Ibrahim Government House on Friday night dismissed his rumoured accident, saying that, “I was never involved in any accident and no driver died. I was also not in coma.”

According to the Governor, “Let me start by thanking you all for coming to welcome me. One of the objectives is, as explained by my wife, I am still alive, or I have resurrected, I don’t know which one.

“My wife went on to say that, as my wife for 34 years, although, we have known each other for 43 years, she can confirm that this is really me, it is not a clone. Although, that will not stop the rumour in the social media, but that is that.

“So, I want to thank you all for coming here. But, I want to confirm that, no accident took place, no one was in coma, no driver died. I have already put that out in social media, but I want to repeat it for the sake of clarity.

“The second reason I am grateful for your presence is to thank people of Kaduna State for their votes. For their votes in support of President Muhammadu Buhari and coming out in even larger numbers to vote for me and members of the state house of assembly.

“I am happy to say that, we already have two third majority in the state house of assembly. And I have already appealed to members of the assembly to keep the leadership that has served the state so diligently in the last for years to continue. This is my appeal.

“Kaduna State has consistently voted for President Muhammadu Buhari since he first contested in 2003. He has never lost Kaduna State, so it is not a shock that he won this time. Anyone that says he has defeated President Buhari in Kaduna is either dreaming or needs psychiatric assistance,” he said.

The Governor also reiterated his appeal to the people of the state to live peacefully among themselves, saying that, his government saddened by the security challenges in Birnin Gwari, Kajuru, parts of Chikun and lately Sanga local government area, has appealed to the President for security reinforcement in the affected areas.

He also appealed to all the people of Kaduna state to join hands with his government to move the state forward, promising that, the government will be fair to all and work for all, irrespective of their political and other affiliations.

Governor El-Rufai also promised to continue with his government’s reforms, especially in education and correct its mistakes where it had gone wrong.

All top government functionaries, including the Deputy Governor-elect, Dr. Hadiza Balarabe, Speaker of the state assembly, Hon. Aminu Abdullahi Shagali, SSG, Balarabe Abbas Lawal and wife of the Governor, Architect Hadiza El-Rufai were in attendance at the reception.