Barring a last-minute change, Governor Muktar Ramalan Yero will today present the name of Ambassador Nuhu Bajoga to the State House of Assembly for confirmation as Kaduna State deputy governor. Bajoga, 63, is chairman of the state chapter of the ruling People’s Democratic Party and a former Nigerian ambassador to Poland. Senior party and government sources told Daily Trust yesterday that Bajoga was endorsed at the PDP caucus meeting in Kaduna on Saturday. The meeting was chaired by Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo, and attended by Yero and other top-notch party members. At the opening of the meeting, the governor solicited for the support of the caucus in choosing the best deputy governor for the state. Sources at the meeting told Daily Trust yesterday that with the endorsement by the caucus, Bajoga’s appointment is very likely to be announced today. A source close to the Kaduna Government House told our reporter that Bajoga was seen in the past
three days attending various meetings with Yero
and other top party leaders. This, the source said, was preparatory to his appointment as deputy governor. Bajoga’s endorsement was coming a week after the death of Mr Patrick Yakowa in a helicopter crash in Bayelsa State. Meanwhile, the Coalition of Concerned Southern Kaduna Professionals has opposed the selection of Bajoga as deputy governor. “We are against the selection of Nuhu Audu Bajoga, present state chairman of PDP as Deputy Governor nominee from Southern Kaduna area, because it is a calculated plot to deprive the Southern Kaduna area from holding the PDP state chair that is of immense political value and significance,” the group said in a statement jointly signed by Dr. Kyari Yates and Dr. John Danfulani. “It is also in the spirit of renewed political enslavement of our people using such a divisive and sinister Greek gift. There are more qualified youthful and competent Southern Kaduna politicians and professionals who fit into role expected of a sound deputy governor in all means.” They added: “We are declaring our total resistance of this action, as part of thee encroaching political extinction of our people via the promotion of ‘gerontocracy’ and complete sidelining of Southern Kaduna’s younger generation and the institutionalization of Northern Kaduna over lordship over our people.” “This act of imposing a 63 years old man would not have been conceived in good faith since the man, Nuhu Bajoga, would be too old to aspire for the office of the governor at the expiration of the present administration--this will ultimately scuttle our chances of piloting the affairs of the state in alternate manner as required by the principle of fair play,” the group said.