The Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El Rufai has disowned his aide, Alhaji Saidu Adamu over his apology to journalists over frosty relationship with the media. Nasir-El-Rufai Adamu, who is the governor’s Counsellor on Communication had penultimate week apologised to the media over what he said were mistakes made by the government of Nasir El Rufai in his relationship with the media.
But in a statement issued yesterday, the Senior Special Assistant to the governor on media and Publicity, Samuel Aruwan said Adamu has no mandate to speak for the governor. “Alhaji Saidu Adamu is not the spokesperson of Malam Nasir El-Rufai and has never been. He has no mandate to speak for the governor or the government. His decision to address journalists is purely a personal adventure, and whatever he said to them amounts to his personal opinion and cannot be ascribed to the governor..
Samuel Aruwan is the official designated to speak for the governor and the government of Malam Nasir 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 dedication to the discharge of his duty as spokesperson, Malam El-Rufai duly promoted Aruwan to Senior Special Assistant in 2017, and no change has been made to the government’s carefully structured communication set-up since 2015.
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’s media team observes a disciplined process of authorization and vetting in relation to official government statements. Malam 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.”
