I’m not cloned, says 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.