Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has revealed that President Bola Tinubu personally pleaded with him to join his administration but later decided against his ministerial nomination.
Speaking on the matter, El-Rufai clarified that his exclusion from Tinubu’s cabinet was not due to rejection by the National Assembly (NASS), as widely speculated, but rather a decision made by the president himself.
“The president, Bola Tinubu, begged me publicly to come and serve in his government. After two months of negotiations, we finally agreed that he would nominate me as a minister. I think along the line, either the president changed his mind. Please don’t believe the story that the NASS rejected me; the National Assembly has nothing to do with this. The president didn’t want me in his cabinet,” El-Rufai stated.
His remarks put to rest widespread reports that his ministerial nomination was blocked due to issues raised during the Senate screening process.
The former governor’s statement has sparked reactions among political analysts, with many questioning the reason behind the sudden change of decision by the president.
As of now, the Presidency has yet to officially respond to El-Rufai’s claims.