BREAKING: El-Rufai withdraws interest in ministerial appointment

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has officially withdrawn his consideration for a role in President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet, according to an exclusive report by PREMIUM TIMES.

Sources close to the presidency have revealed that during a meeting held on Tuesday, El-Rufai communicated his decision to President Tinubu, citing a desire to contribute to Nigeria’s development as a private citizen rather than as a minister. One source disclosed that El-Rufai also mentioned his intention to dedicate time to his ongoing doctorate program at a university in The Netherlands.

Interestingly, during the same meeting, the former governor suggested a replacement nominee for the ministerial position from Kaduna State—Jafaru Ibrahim Sani. El-Rufai highlighted Sani’s potential to be an invaluable and resourceful asset to the President.

Jafaru Ibrahim Sani, who previously held positions as a commissioner in three key ministries—Local Government, Education, and Environment—in Kaduna State during El-Rufai’s gubernatorial tenure, is being put forth as an alternative option.

El-Rufai’s decision to step back from ministerial aspirations followed the Senate’s confirmation of 45 ministerial nominees, while holding back confirmations for himself and two others, citing State Security Service (SSS) security reports as the basis for their decision. These other two nominees were Sani Danladi, a former senator from Taraba, and Stella Okotete, a nominee from Delta State.

Upon learning of the Senate’s stance on his nomination and return from London on Monday, El-Rufai reportedly sought and obtained a meeting with President Tinubu. In the Tuesday meeting, President Tinubu asked for a 24-hour window to review petitions and the SSS report in relation to El-Rufai’s case, to make an informed decision.

During this discussion, El-Rufai expressed his disillusionment with the escalating efforts to thwart his appointment as a federal minister. This sentiment, coupled with his wish to contribute to the energy sector, prompted his withdrawal from the ministerial race.

Earlier, during his confirmation hearing on August 1, El-Rufai had revealed President Tinubu’s request for his involvement in resolving Nigeria’s power crisis. President Tinubu set a goal of eliminating power outages within seven years.

In his capacity as a private citizen, El-Rufai intends to present the preliminary work his team has undertaken in the energy sector. The team comprises individuals like Eyo Ekpo, a former commissioner at the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC); Hafiz Bayero, a former commissioner and administrator of the Kaduna Capital Territory Authority; Tolu Oyekan of the Boston Consulting Group; and Ayodele Oni, a lawyer. Olu Verheijen, the special adviser to the President on Energy Matters, will lead the presentation on Gas.