Tinubu responsible for my exclusion from cabinet, not National Assembly – El-rufai
Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has revealed that President Bola Tinubu, not the National Assembly, was responsible for his exclusion from the cabinet.
El-Rufai stated that despite being nominated for a ministerial position, Tinubu later decided against his appointment, using the Senate’s rejection as a justification.
El-Rufai expressed frustration over the situation and criticized the APC’s leadership, suggesting that Tinubu’s appointments are imbalanced and favor his loyalists. He also denied having any security issues that could have led to his rejection.
In an interview with Arise TV on Monday, El-Rufai revealed that contrary to popular belief, it was not the National Assembly that blocked his nomination but rather a decision made by the president himself.
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El-Rufai explained that President Tinubu had initially approached him about joining his cabinet. However, after months of discussions and negotiations, the president seemed to have had a change of heart.
“The president publicly appealed to me to put my plans on hold, and through two months of negotiation, we finally agreed that he will nominate me as minister,” he said.
“There were certain conditions I attached to that. I think along the line either the president changed his mind or something else.
“Please don’t believe the story that the national assembly rejected me. The president did not want me in his cabinet. He changed his mind,” El-Rufai stated during the interview.