The former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has opted out of contention for a position in President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet, signaling a significant shift in his aspirations. Sources closely linked to the Presidency have confirmed this development to PREMIUM TIMES, revealing that El-Rufai communicated his decision to President Tinubu during a meeting held on Tuesday. In this meeting, the former governor expressed his change of heart, stating that he no longer intended to pursue a ministerial role. Instead, he conveyed his commitment to contributing to Nigeria’s progress as a private citizen.
One of the key reasons cited for his decision was his desire to focus on his doctorate program, which he is pursuing at a university in The Netherlands. The decision to dedicate time to his academic pursuits was apparently a well-considered one, as he informed the President of his plans during their discussion. Furthermore, insiders privy to the matter revealed that El-Rufai extended his support for a new ministerial nominee from Kaduna State, putting forward the name of Jafaru Ibrahim Sani. El-Rufai’s recommendation was underpinned by Sani’s extensive experience, having previously served as a commissioner in multiple ministries during El-Rufai’s gubernatorial tenure.
This development comes in the wake of a significant Senate confirmation process for ministerial nominees, during which El-Rufai faced a hurdle. While 45 nominees were successfully confirmed, El-Rufai’s confirmation, along with two others, was withheld by the Senate due to security concerns raised by the State Security Service (SSS). Upon learning of this decision, El-Rufai swiftly sought an audience with President Tinubu, who granted him an appointment the day after his return from London.
During their meeting on Tuesday, President Tinubu informed El-Rufai of the petitions that had raised concerns about his ministerial candidacy. The President requested a brief period of 24 hours to evaluate the petitions and review the SSS report submitted to the Senate, with the intention of making an informed decision. At this juncture, El-Rufai articulated his decision not to pursue a ministerial role, expressing his perception that certain influential forces surrounding the President were attempting to thwart his appointment.
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This turn of events is particularly intriguing given El-Rufai’s earlier statement during his confirmation hearing on August 1st. He had revealed that President Tinubu had approached him to collaborate on addressing the nation’s persistent power crisis, setting a goal of resolving power outages within seven years.
In light of his decision to step back from ministerial considerations, El-Rufai is resolved to focus on his doctoral studies in public policy at the United Nations University in Maastricht. His associates had previously noted his intention to transition away from public life after concluding his term as Governor in May. However, President-elect Tinubu’s invitation to join his cabinet and spearhead reforms in the energy sector presented a compelling reason for El-Rufai to remain engaged in the political arena.
The circumstances that led to the sudden shift in El-Rufai’s trajectory remain somewhat enigmatic. The fact that an agency of the government moved to block his ministerial nomination without President Tinubu’s intervention raises questions about the dynamics at play. Despite the intrigue surrounding this development, Muyiwa Adekeye, the media adviser to Mr. El-Rufai, declined to provide further commentary when approached for his insights on the matter.
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