El-Rufai’s Power Play and Gang-Up Forced Him Out of Ministerial Appointment Uncovered

The former governor of Kaduna, Nasir El-Rufai, reportedly withdrew his nomination for a minister on Friday, citing security issues and a power struggle inside President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet.

El-Rufai was one of 48 individuals Tinubu reportedly proposed as ministry nominees in July, according to reports. For the position of minister of electricity and energy, he was proposed.

Thoughts about security were given as to why the Senate decided against confirming him on Monday. Godswill Akpabio, the president of the Senate, stated that El-Rufai’s security had been a subject of some SSS concern, but he was unable to divulge any specifics.

Many were surprised by El-Rufai’s resignation. Known for his accomplishments, he is a politician. He served as the Federal Capital Territory’s (FCT) minister from 2003 to 2007.

El-Rufai was dissatisfied with the Senate’s decision to withhold security clearance, according to sources close to him. He allegedly believed the SSS’s worries weren’t justified.

El-Rufai reportedly disapproved with the president’s handling of the circumstance, according to the reports. They assert that Tinubu failed to support El-Rufai sufficiently and gave the impression that he cared little about the situation.

El-Rufai’s resignation was reportedly also a result of power struggles inside the administration. El-Rufai’s appointment was reportedly opposed by several influential government members, who invoked security concerns as a justification to prevent him from being appointed.

According to a source quoted by the Daily Trust, “some very influential Nigerians” don’t seem to be happy with the reforms El-Rufai was implementing in the power and energy sector.

Every change encounters resistance in some form, so what El-Rufai accomplished as minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was only feasible because to his perseverance and the backing of his principal, former President Olusegun Obasanjo. The reforms were still being resisted by some, he noted, but they were ultimately successful due to political will.

According to a source close to the former governor, El-Rufai decided to revoke his nomination to the ministerial position even before the meeting with the president.

“What happened on Monday couldn’t have happened except there was some nod and wink from the place where the nomination came from,” a source claimed in reference to President Bola Tinubu’s nonverbal cues.

He didn’t ever ask for it. He was essentially bribed to come work for them, and after he eventually consented, they made him endure what occurred on Monday.

“A few extremely influential people don’t like him, and the president has recently joined the group. Why does the State Security Service (SSS) exonerate individuals involved in corruption investigations, some of which are pending on a national and even an international level, yet fails to exonerate El-Rufai? It’s political, and it’s terrible the president would allow himself to be involved in it, according to a different source.

El-Rufa’i was trapped in the maze of complex power plays and manipulations by his political rivals and those fearful of his expanding reputation, according to Abubakar Kari, an associate professor of political sociology at the University of Abuja, who was commenting on the circumstance.

“He is without a doubt one of the most intelligent and capable ministerial nominees, with a rich pedigree and a track record of achievements as a technocrat and public servant,” he said. When answering questions at the senate screening, he more than proved this, according to Prof. Kari.

“What happened was, therefore, a grand gang-up against the former Kaduna State governor by powerful forces, including some within the presidency and the security services,” he added, noting that “the most surprising of all, however, is Tinubu’s response to the whole thing.”

“The president made no effort to help El-Rufa’i—not even a finger was raised. Politically, this is quite important given El- Rufa’i’s standing and the part he played in Tinubu’s rise. Despite the terrible reputation they have had to deal with, Tinubu didn’t display this mysterious lethargy and apathy toward Akpabio or even Ganduje, the man claimed.