El-Rufai Declines Ministerial Position in Surprising Move, Proposes Successor
In an unexpected turn of events, former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has withdrawn his interest in joining President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet. El-Rufai communicated his decision during a meeting with President Tinubu on Tuesday, as reported by Premium Times.
Presidency insiders disclosed that El-Rufai cited his desire to focus on his doctorate program at a university in The Netherlands and expressed his intention to contribute to Nigeria’s development as a private citizen. However, the surprise didn’t end there. El-Rufai also recommended a replacement for the ministerial position he was slated for, proposing Jafaru Ibrahim Sani for the role.
El-Rufai Declines Cabinet Position
Mr. Sani, who previously served as a commissioner in three Kaduna State ministries (Local Government, Education, and Environment) during El-Rufai’s governorship, was touted as a valuable and resourceful choice by the former governor.
El-Rufai’s decision to withdraw from the cabinet came on the heels of the Senate’s confirmation of 45 ministerial nominees after a comprehensive week-long screening process. Notably, El-Rufai’s confirmation, along with two others, was withheld by the Senate due to security reports from the State Security Service.
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Following the Senate’s decision, El-Rufai swiftly sought an appointment with President Tinubu to discuss the matter. During their meeting, sources claim President Tinubu informed El-Rufai about critical petitions against his nomination and requested a 24-hour grace period to review these concerns and the SSS report before making a final decision.
At this juncture, El-Rufai reportedly expressed his reluctance to continue pursuing the ministerial position, attributing his decision to what he perceived as concerted efforts to thwart his appointment by influential figures within the President’s circle.
El-Rufai’s initial confirmation hearing on August 1st had revealed that President Tinubu had enlisted his help to address Nigeria’s persistent power outages, setting a target of seven years to resolve the issue.
Despite his withdrawal from the cabinet, El-Rufai remains active in the energy sector. He indicated his intention to return with a team of experts to present preliminary work related to the energy sector, given his specialization in public policy and his focus on his PhD program in the field.
El-Rufai’s surprising departure from the cabinet nominee list has left many speculating about the underlying dynamics that led to this unexpected twist in his political journey. As speculation swirls, associates of El-Rufai emphasize his commitment to pursuing his doctorate while the nation watches for further developments.
For inquiries, Mr. Muyiwa Adekeye, the media adviser to Mr. El-Rufai, declined to comment on the matter when approached for this story.
That is all for now El-Rufai Declines Cabinet Position in Surprising Move, Proposes Successor
Source: Premium Times
