An Open Letter To His Excellency Mallam Nasir El-Rufai -By Dokpesi Timothy Adidi

The Executive Governor of Kaduna State
His Excellency,
Mallam Nasir El-Rufai,
Sir Kashim Ibrahim House,
44, Polytechnic Road Badiko,
Kaduna,
Kaduna State,
Nigeria.

I write to you this morning after a long time in my usual manner of constantly engaging the No.1 office of Kaduna State with respect to your Cosmopolitanization and Urbanization policies of putting Kaduna State in the right direction. I have not had the opportunity to write to you since year 2020 and if my memory serves me right, I have written to you for quite a considerable number of times since you assumed office as the Executive Governor of Kaduna State.

Nonetheless, I am using this opportunity again to write to you despite my busy schedules so as not to disengage myself from the good works you are doing in Kaduna State; and most especially in Kaduna South were you are currently doing your best. We also hope that more will be done so as to balance the equation of infrastructural development.

My letter to you this morning was triggered off by the current shut-down in Kaduna State after making several attempts to reach you through the phone lines regarding the directives in downsizing and cutting down staff of the Kaduna State Civil Service. A response that is pro-active by the National Labour Congress as a way of showing the camaraderie that exists amongst Labour Union for the shutting down of economic activities in Kaduna State.

Your Excellency Sir, I must say this to you; and in other for you not to take it too personal, but as a way of correcting your mistake as a human being in constant need of counsel and advice. This, Your Excellency, would have been averted. Prevention, they say is better than cure.

Your Excellency, you have not really done well in this regard. I say this, not because you have made a decision to downsize and cut down cost in the State; but because you allowed the NLC to come to the point of taking measures that is wreaking havoc to the State, which you are working so hard to build with the framework of your Urbanization and Cosmopolitanization policies. I strongly think that your political and special advisers would have really saved the situation.

Your Excellency Sir, it is he who wears the shoes that knows where it pinches. I share in your pains and also your fears as a leader. I am aware of the grounds that informed these decisions. The grounds are very much justifiable but the manner of execution has proven that due consultations were not explored.

I am of the opinion that Your Excellency ought to have had series of consultations and dialogues with NLC and members of the Kaduna State Civil Service with high power delegations from the Members of the Federal National Assembly to deliberate and discuss the issues arising from your decisions. This would have brought in some level of sanity in this whole situation and not to the point of where we are now. Dialogue, Consultation, Transparency, and Accountability is the hallmark of democratic consolidation. It is not enough for people to be laid off just like that from office. It is important we know the conditions of service and appropriate laws to help guide our decisions.

Your Excellency Sir, issues of this nature can be very sensitive especially considering the environment we are in the State. The questions will be more necessary than the answers given. There is a very close relationship between critical thinking and democratic consolidation; and as such, I believe it is never too late to engage all stakeholders in this regard.

I, therefore crave your indulgence and appeal that you go back to the drawing board of critical thinking and engage critical stakeholders to ensure a veritable success to your esteemed and admirable administration. Governance should make life easy for the people and not to create hardship, fear and exaggerated anxiety.

I wish you well in the remaining years of your administration. I also hope you enjoyed the Salah celebrations.

Be rest assured of my continuous support for your administration.

Yours Faithfully,
ADIDI, Dokpesi Timothy