Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has
declared that he will not reconcile with politicians in the state who are "traitors
and enemies of the people."
The governor also disowned his aide, Alhaji Saidu Adamu, for
apologising to journalists over the
frosty relationship with the media in the state.
Adamu, a former Commissioner for Information is counselor on
information.
In a statement issued on Tuesday in Kaduna, spokesman
to the governor, Samuel Aruwan, said: "El-Rufai is aware that
reconciliation efforts with aggrieved party members are being undertaken by the
new state executive of the All Progressives Congress (APC), led by Air
Commodore Emmanuel Jekada.
"While supportive of this party effort, the
government is clear that there will be no reconciliation with traitors and
enemies of the people in the political class."
Denouncing Adamu's apology to journalists, the statement said
he has no mandate to speak for the governor or the government.
During a recent visit to the state secretariat of the NUJ in
Kaduna, Adamu had apologised over the government frosty relationship between
journalists and the government, and assured them of a cordial working
relationship with the media.
"Governor El-Rufai is learning, he is bound to
make mistakes, and through that, we make amendment.
“It is normal to have issues among ourselves
especially in the state and when amendment is made, that is the only way the
state will grow.
“It is very important that we collaborate with you
journalists, and that is why l have come to interact with you and also appeal
to you that l want you to be part of us. What has happened has happened,"
Adamu had said during the visit.
The statement maintained that Adamu's "decision
to address journalists was purely a personal adventure and what he said was a
personal opinion and cannot be ascribed to the governor.
"Samuel Aruwan is the official designated to
speak for the governor and the government of El-Rufai.
"His appointment to this role was announced
even before the governor took the oath of office in May 2015.
"As acknowledgement for the dedicated discharge
of his duty as spokesperson, El-Rufai duly promoted Aruwan to Senior Special
Assistant in 2017, and no change has been made to the government carefully
structured communication set-up since 2015."
According to the statement, "It is only
statements from the official spokesperson that can be attributed to the
governor, except in circumstances where designated senior officials have been
mandated to represent the governor at events, and the speeches they will read
at such places will have been suitably vetted and approved.
“The government media team observes a disciplined
process of authorisation and vetting in relation to official government
statements.
"El-Rufai will not brook individuals trying to
pass off their personal opinions as his.
"He is well-known for the frank expression of
his views, and as a leader, he does not do proxies in taking responsibility for
his actions, or those of the government he heads.
"On several platforms, especially his live
radio chats, he has taken responsibility for the actions of his government,
giving credit to officials when success comes, and taking the flak for low
moments.
"As the man on whose table the buck stops, he
has never abdicated nor delegated the duty of accountability.
“It is important to reiterate that the government
has nothing to apologise to journalists for. Under the leadership of El-Rufai,
the Kaduna State Government fully respects and upholds press freedom.
"There is no apology for curing people of the
illusion that press freedom implies license to blackmail or incite religious
and ethnic violence."
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