In a recent interview on Arise TV, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai clarified that it was President Bola Tinubu, not the National Assembly, who rejected his nomination as a minister. El-Rufai recounted that after leaving office, Tinubu publicly requested him to join his government, which led to negotiations about a ministerial position.
El-Rufai stated he had initially planned to take a break from politics and did not seek any personal gain from supporting Tinubu’s candidacy. He emphasized his self-made status and financial independence, asserting that his involvement in politics was not driven by personal ambition or the desire for political appointments.
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He explained that after discussions with Tinubu, an agreement was reached for his nomination, but he sensed a change in the President’s intentions. El-Rufai firmly rejected the notion that the National Assembly was responsible for his non-appointment, stating, “The President didn’t want me in his cabinet; he changed his mind.”
Despite the setback, Nasir El-Rufai expressed that he has moved on and refrained from publicly criticizing the government, although he mentioned his right as a founding member of the All Progressives Congress to question the party’s current operations.
