Former Kaduna governor Nasir El-Rufai claims President Bola Tinubu, not the National Assembly, blocked his ministerial appointment. He dismissed security concerns as false and criticized the APC’s lack of internal democracy. El-Rufai revealed that Tinubu initially offered him a ministerial position but later withdrew the offer.
Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has revealed that President Bola Tinubu, rather than the National Assembly, was responsible for his exclusion from the ministerial list.
During an interview on Arise TV’s Prime Time on Tuesday, El-Rufai dismissed reports suggesting that his nomination was blocked over security concerns. He insisted that the Senate had no role in the decision, attributing it solely to the president’s change of mind.
“The National Assembly had nothing to do with it. The president didn’t want me in his cabinet,” El-Rufai stated.
The former governor, who played a key role in the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC), also expressed concerns over the party’s current state. He criticized the leadership for failing to uphold internal democracy, alleging that APC’s key decision-making organs have been inactive since Tinubu assumed office.
“I have concerns about how the party is being run. Many of us worked hard to establish an internally democratic party with progressive ideals, but two years into this administration, none of the party organs are functioning as they should,” he lamented.
El-Rufai disclosed that before Tinubu’s election, he had initially declined any political position but later agreed to serve as a minister after extensive negotiations. However, despite reaching an understanding, Tinubu withdrew his nomination.
“After I left office, the president personally appealed to me for support, which I agreed to give without expecting anything in return. Eventually, we reached an agreement that I would join his cabinet under certain conditions. Somewhere along the line, he changed his mind,” he explained.
Addressing claims of security concerns being the reason for his rejection, El-Rufai challenged the narrative, questioning the existence of any such report against him.
“What security concerns? Where is the report? Others with fewer qualifications and experience were confirmed because the president made a call. He is entitled to change his mind, and that is exactly what happened,” he said.
El-Rufai’s remarks have sparked political debate, raising fresh questions about Tinubu’s cabinet appointments and the state of the APC’s internal democracy.
