Nasir el-Rufai, governor of Kaduna, has advised Ahmad Nuhu Bamalli, the new Emir of Zazzau, to be fair and just to everyone.
El-Rufai spoke when he hosted the new emir and members of the Zazzau emirate council at the government house in Kaduna on Wednesday.
The governor commended the emir for his “bridge-building efforts” and encouraged him to continue in that effort bearing in mind that he was “chosen by God out of many”.
“God has chosen you, through us, the government of Kaduna state, and my appeal is to continue to bring everyone together, everyone close. Tap into the years of experience that the council members have accumulated in the administration of Zazzau emirate,” el-Rufai said.
“Working together will make Zazzau emirate achieve great strides in development, peaceful co-existence and unity. I call on the Emir to be fair and just to everyone: those that supported him and those that did not because the competition is over and the hard work now begins.”
Bamalli, who had earlier promised to carry along all ruling houses, said he is reaching out to each and every contender to the throne in order to move the emirate forward.
The emir, who noted that it is not an offence showing interest in contesting the emirship position, called on other ruling houses to join him in serving the people.
“And the pride of every prince is for one day to become the king. It is not an offence, and I keep repeating, it is not an offence, for any interested person to contest for emirship position. But after the contest, we will have to close ranks, come together and then serve the people,’’ Bamalli said.
“The level of cooperation that I received from the kingmakers, other council members, district heads, and the people of Zaria is unprecedented in the last one week.”
“I have mentioned it severally, I don’t have any reason whatsoever, to alienate or sideline any of the ruling dynasties. My maternal grandparents come from the Bare-bari dynasty and the Katsinawa dynasty is my in-laws. So, I don’t have any reason whatsoever, to give priority or superiority to my own ruling house.
“I have served as Magajin Gari for 19 years and I think it is adequate enough to have some experience, to tag along with everybody. We have already discussed on the way forward, which Insha Allahu, in the next couple of days, we will be back to the state government to present our position, so that we can move forward.”
The emir expressed his desire to build on the foundation laid by his predecessors “so that we can have a sustainable and good system of administration”.
A few days after Bamalli was appointed as emir, Bashir Aminu, one of the princes who lost out in the contest for the emirship, filed a suit against el-Rufai.
Aminu, who holds the traditional title of Iyan Zazzau, is seeking an order setting aside the appointment of Bamalli and a declaration that “he has thus acquired vested right to the stool of the Emir of Zazzau from the date of his selection having scored the highest number of lawful votes cast by the kingmakers”.