How El-Rufai can end communal crises in Kaduna State

The general secretary of the National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, Issa Aremu, has urged the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, to end the deadly clashes in the state.

Mr Aremu urged the governor to come up with a “pan-partisan all-inclusive peace initiative” to rescue the state from “mutually destructive violence.”

He spoke in Kaduna while congratulating Mr El-Rufai on his reelection to a second term as the governor of Kaduna State.

Kaduna has been the scene of a series of violent communal clashes that have claimed scores of lives especially in the southern district of the state.

He urged the governor to form an inclusive government with massive participation of women and the youth.

“There is the need for conscious women participation in governance if they must overcome the problems of double deprivations at work and in the larger society,” Mr Aremu said.

“Peace process must go hand in hand with sustainable development which must start with urgent re-industrialization of Kaduna State and mass employment of the army of the youth.”

Mr Aremu said the textile union would continue to partner with the state government to take necessary steps to revive ailing textile industries in Kaduna.

The union leader said a virile textile industrial sector can create jobs for the mass of unemployed youth in the state.

“As a private sector union and an affiliate of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and a critical stakeholder in the development of the state and the country in general, we pledge our support, and cooperation in the great task of moving Kaduna State and indeed Nigeria to a greater height,” he said.

Mr Aremu, who was the Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in Kwara State in the March 9 elections, said the just-concluded elections in Nigeria took after the International Women’s Day theme, “Balance for Better.”

According to him, the 2019 election assumed special importance because it took place just after the 2019 International Women Day.

Mr El-Rufai was declared the winner of the governorship election in Kaduna by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), having polled 1,045,427 votes to defeat his closest rival, Isa Ashiru, who polled 814,168 votes.

Mr Aremu also commended Mr El-Rufai for running a joint ticket with a female deputy, Hadiza Balarabe, just as the LP candidate did in Kwara with Rebecca Ndace.

He commended INEC and security agencies for ensuring a peaceful gubernatorial election in the state and called on all the contestants to accept the wishes of the people of Kaduna State as expressed through the ballot box.