Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has revealed that his exclusion from President Bola Tinubu’s ministerial list in 2023 was solely the decision of the president, not the National Assembly.
Speaking in an interview on Arise TV on Tuesday night, El-Rufai stated that Tinubu initially nominated him for a ministerial position but later withdrew the offer.
“The National Assembly had nothing to do with it; the president didn’t want me in his cabinet,” he said.
El-Rufai also expressed concerns about the state of the All Progressives Congress (APC) under Tinubu’s leadership, noting that key party organs have remained inactive since the president assumed office.
“I am a founding member of the APC, but I’m worried about how the party is being run. Many of us sacrificed a lot to build a party with progressive ideals, yet two years after Tinubu’s election, none of the party’s organs are functioning, and those ideals are not being actively pursued,” he said.
He further disclosed that his ministerial nomination came after extensive negotiations with Tinubu, during which the president personally appealed for his support. However, the offer was later rescinded.
“After leaving office, the president publicly asked for my support, and I agreed without requesting anything in return. But after two months of discussions, we finally settled on my ministerial nomination with certain conditions. Somewhere along the line, the president changed his mind,” El-Rufai explained.
Addressing claims that his rejection was based on security concerns, the former governor dismissed the allegations, challenging anyone to present evidence against him.
“What was the security issue cited against me? Where is the report? There were far less qualified and less experienced nominees who got through because the president made a call. He is entitled to change his mind, but let’s not pretend it was the National Assembly’s decision,” he added.
