Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has decided to withdraw his interest in joining President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet, according to exclusive information from PREMIUM TIMES.
Sources from the Presidency revealed that El-Rufai informed President Tinubu during a meeting that he no longer wishes to become a minister. Instead, he plans to contribute to Nigeria’s development as a private citizen.
El-Rufai also expressed his need to focus on his doctorate program in The Netherlands, according to an insider.
During the meeting, El-Rufai proposed Jafaru Ibrahim Sani as a potential ministerial nominee for Kaduna State, citing Sani’s valuable contributions during El-Rufai’s governorship.
At the Tuesday meeting, Mr El-Rufai also reportedly told the President that since he would no longer be in the federal executive council, he would return the next day with his team to present the preliminary work done so far on the energy sector.
The team that accompanied the former governor to make presentations to the president on Wednesday includes 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, presented on Gas.
This decision comes after El-Rufai’s nomination for a ministerial position was withheld by the Senate along with two other nominees due to security reports from the State Security Service.
El-Rufai had previously revealed that President Tinubu asked him to collaborate on addressing Nigeria’s power challenges. However, the relationship seemed to have soured, leading to El-Rufai’s withdrawal from the cabinet and a return to private life.
El-Rufai is currently pursuing a doctorate in public policy at the United Nations University, Maastricht. His associates noted his intention to step away from public life after his term as governor ended.
Source: Premium Times
