Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has revealed that President Bola Tinubu withdrew his ministerial nomination, contrary to reports that the National Assembly rejected him.
El-Rufai shared this during an interview on Arise Television monitored by News About Nigeria, where he addressed his failed cabinet appointment.
According to him, Tinubu had personally appealed to him to join the government, even after he initially declined due to personal plans.
When Tinubu formed his cabinet, he nominated El-Rufai as a minister, but reports claimed the National Assembly rejected him over security concerns.
However, El-Rufai dismissed these claims, stating that the legislature had no role in his exclusion.
He asserted that Tinubu changed his mind and decided against including him in the government.
“The President publicly appealed to me to put my plans on hold, and through two months of negotiations, we finally agreed that he would nominate me as minister and there were certain conditions I attached to that.
“I think along the line, either the President changed his mind or something else. Please don’t believe the story that the National Assembly rejected me. The National Assembly had nothing to do with this. The President didn’t want me in his cabinet. He changed his mind. Whatever it is, I don’t care, and I’ve moved on.”
He also questioned the alleged security concerns, arguing that he had served as a governor for eight years in a challenging state.
He pointed out that other ministers with controversial backgrounds were approved, saying that the decision was purely political.
Despite the situation, El-Rufai stated that he had moved on and refrained from making public comments about the government.
However, as a founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), he believes he has the right to question the party’s direction.
