Former Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has dismissed claims that he was rejected by the National Assembly as a ministerial nominee.
Speaking on Monday during an interview on Arise TV’s Prime Time, El-Rufai clarified that his decision was personal and not influenced by the legislature.
“I had my plans and told President Bola Tinubu from Day 1 that I would support you, but I do not want anything in return… because I’m not in politics to gain anything. After serving eight years in Kaduna, I wanted to take a break,” he stated.
He further explained that Tinubu had persuaded him to reconsider. “The President publicly appealed to me to put my plans on hold, and after two months of negotiations, we agreed he would nominate me as a minister. I attached certain conditions.”
However, El-Rufai noted that the agreement did not follow through. “I think along the line, he changed his mind on the nomination. Please don’t believe the story that the National Assembly rejected me. The President changed his mind. The National Assembly has nothing to do with this. He didn’t want me in his cabinet. And whatever it is, frankly, I don’t care! I’ve moved on.”
Commenting on Tinubu’s administration, El-Rufai criticised the approach to governance, stating, “The sequencing of Tinubu’s reforms is wrong, and the people implementing the policies are clueless.”
