The Kaduna State Government has announced the reappointments of three Senior Special Assistants to the Governor, Malam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai.

A government statement Saturday in Kaduna signed by Dr. Salisu Suleiman. Principal Private Secretary to the Governor, disclosed that the governor has begun making appointments to offices that do not require confirmation or approval by the Kaduna State House of Assembly.

Therefore, Samuel Aruwan, Senior Special Assistant (Media & Publicity), Maryam Abubakar, Senior Special Assistant (New Media) and Saude Amina Atoyebi, Senior Special Assistant (Administration) have been reappointed to the roles in which they served during the first term.

The statement reads: “Malam Nasir El-Rufai has began announcing personnel choices, beginning with some offices that do not require confirmation or approval by the Kaduna State House of Assembly.

“The governor has approved the reappointments of the following persons who served in the media team during his first term:

1. Samuel Aruwan Senior Special Assistant - Media & Publicity

2. Maryam Abubakar Senior Special Assistant - New Media

3. Mukhtar Maigamo Special Assistant - Public Affairs

4. Manasseh Istifanus Special Assistant, Media

5. Nuhu John Gwamna, Technical Assistant and Official Photographer, is promoted to Special Assistant.

“Saude Amina Atoyebi (nee Mohammed) is reappointed Senior Special Assistant -Administration.

“Samuel Aruwan has been government spokesman since May 2015 and has twice served as the spokesperson of the Kaduna APC Campaign Council. He was one of the first appointments announced shortly before Malam Nasir El-Rufai was sworn-in in 2015, transiting to the role from his position as spokesperson of the 2015 campaign. He was also the Director of Media and spokesperson of the 2019 Kaduna APC Campaign Council.

“A graduate of Mass Communication, Aruwan has worked with LEADERSHIP and Blueprint newspapers. He has attended international training programmes at the School of Journalism, University of Witwatersrand, South Africa on Investigative Reporting, Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, London, on Countering Religious Extremism and at the Drew Institute on Religion & Conflict Transformation, New Jersey, USA.

“Aruwan is a member of the Kaduna State Security Council. He is noted for the high sense of discipline, courage and boldness he brings to the discharge of his duties.

“Maryam Abubakar worked as a Technical Assistant to the Governor on Research and Documentation from 2015 and was appointed Special Assistant on New Media to the Governor in 2016, and was promoted to Senior Special Assistant in 2017. She was in the research team of the El-Rufai campaign in 2015. She has worked as a Technical Assistant in the Progressive Governors’ Forum. She holds an Executive Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the United Arab Emirates and a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from the University of Abuja, in Nigeria. She holds a certificate in Advanced Communication and PR Management, from the International School of Communication, Dubai.

“From 2012, Saude Amina Atoyebi worked for Malam Nasir El-Rufai as a researcher for his acclaimed budget series. She served as secretary of the Finance sub-committee of the 2015 Kaduna State Transition Committee before her appointment as the governor’s Personal Secretary and Senior Special Assistant, Administration. In these roles, she has provided support for the running of the Governor’s Office and has sometimes covered the duties of the Principal Private Secretary.

“As Saude Amina Mohammed, she graduated in Economics from ABU Zaria, close to her Wusasa roots, before taking a master’s degree in Advertising and Marketing from Coventry University, United Kingdom. She has attended the Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education Programme on Adaptive Leadership and the Agha Khan University’s Voice of Leadership programme.”

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