I’ve not ruled out re-contesting in 2019 — El-Rufai
Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State has said he has not ruled out contesting for a second term in 2019.
The governor, however, said it was not yet time for campaigns and cautioned his aides against engaging in election activities before the whistle was blown.
El-Rufai was reacting to reports quoting his Chief of Staff, Alhaji Muhammad Bashir Sa’idu, who said the Kaduna governor would support a younger person to succeed him in 2019.
El-Rufai said the comment did not represent his views about seeking a second term.
He also warned that any of his appointees that immersed himself or herself into ambitions for 2019, at the expense of the assignments entrusted them, would be deemed to have constructively vacated office, and be relieved of his position.
“What was reported was that I had no plans to run for another term of office and will be succeeded by someone below the age of 50. Both statements are misrepresentations of my position and the government,” he said.
El-Rufai said the views of the chief of staff were his personal opinion and therefore, could not wish to be associated with such sentiments.
“I am of the firm opinion that nobody, no matter the position they hold, can dictate to other citizens what they can or cannot aspire to. No individual can introduce into the electoral process conditions that are not embedded in the laws of our country and the norms of electoral competition,” El-Rufai said.
He said the Constitution of Nigeria, the Electoral Act and the APC Constitution had no provisions imposing maximum age limits for those aspiring to elective office, and as a lawabiding citizen and loyal party member, he will not countenance anyone, even hinting at circumscribing constitutional rights.
“While our government will continue to train these young persons in leadership responsibilities, and prepare them for the future, we do not believe that decreeing a generational shift is either lawful or pragmatic. Choice is the prerogative of the voting public which decides at each moment, who and what platform they believe best represents their needs,” he said.