John Joseph Hayab, chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in the 19 Northern states and Abuja, has criticised the leadership style of former Governor Nasir El-Rufai during his tenure from 2015 to 2023.

Speaking on TVC, Mr Hayab said the former governor’s approach to handling conflicts in the state left many communities feeling neglected.

He added that past leaders such as Ahmed Makarfi, Namadi Sambo, the late Patrick Yakowa, and Ramalan Yero made more deliberate efforts to foster peace and unity.

His comments followed Mr El-Rufai’s recent statement that he had no regrets about his actions in office. Mr Hayab described the remarks as insensitive to the experiences of communities affected by violence during the period.

He further expressed concern over what he described as the uneven distribution of development projects, alleging that certain communities benefited less from the state’s urban renewal programme, which was funded with loans.

The CAN leader also addressed the long-standing debate over the population of Southern Kaduna, insisting that the region represents a significant proportion of the state’s residents and should not be overlooked in political considerations.

Mr Hayab disclosed that he initially supported El-Rufai’s candidacy in 2015 but later became dissatisfied with his leadership approach, which he described as intolerant and dismissive of opposing views.

He urged leaders in Kaduna to adopt a more inclusive style of governance, adding that peace and stability should remain the priority for Kaduna going forward.

(NAN)