Following a vetting of the 48 applicants for ministerial positions included on the list President Bola Tinubu provided, the Senate said last Monday that it had approved 45 of them while rejecting three.
The Senate’s refusal to approve Mallam Nasir El-Rufai’s appointment as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria was, however, a major surprise. El-Rufai was the recently-resigned governor of Kaduna State.
Senator Abubakar Danladi, a former deputy governor of Taraba State, and Stella Okotete, a candidate from Delta State, were not successful in getting their ministerial nominations confirmed by the Senate.
El- Rufai informed President Tinubu last Tuesday afternoon during his visit that he was no longer interested in becoming a minister. El- Rufai was undoubtedly startled by the senate’s refusal to approve his nomination.
When El-Rufai visited the President last Tuesday, Tinubu reportedly informed him that he had received several petitions objecting to his candidature for a cabinet position.
According to reports, he requested time so that he could evaluate the petitions and a report from the Department of State Security (DSS) before reporting back to the Senate. However, a report citing insiders at the Presidency claimed El-Rufai told President Tinubu he would no longer entertain his nomination as a minister in the administration.
According to reports, he told Tinubu that he would keep making his individual contribution to national development.
According to the article, El-Rufai suggested that President Tinubu hire Jafaru Ibrahim Sani, who had previously served as commissioner in Kaduna State’s local government, education, and environment ministries.
According to the report, El-Rufai assured Tinubu that he would find Sani to be “very useful and resourceful” in the administration and explained that he “needed time to focus on his doctorate programme at a university in The Netherlands.”
However, reports also stated that Muyiwa Adekeye, El-Rufai’s spokesperson, had yet to comment on the situation.
The rumoured resignation of Nasir El-Rufai from Tinubu’s incoming government follows a proposal by Dr. Doyin Okupe, the former director-general of the Peter Obi Presidential Campaign, that the Senate should require El-Rufai to submit a written undertaking before confirming him.
Okupe suggested that El-Rufai be required to sign a pledge promising not to disparage religion. El-Rufai’s dismissal as a minister was overturned, but he encouraged the Senate to change its mind.
In a tweet, Okupe asserted that El-Rufai is capable of managing Nigeria’s electricity issue. He declared, “I am not a fan of Mallam El-Rufai, who I regard to be somewhat of an extremist and who has recently shown some signs of religious fanaticism. But few will question El-Rufai’s skill and prodigious ability to deliver.
The Senate may request that he give an assurance before being confirmed that, while serving as a minister, he won’t make any comments or remarks on religion.
“The power ministry is crucial to our nation’s economy and to our sincere efforts to fight poverty.
Former Governor El-Rufai is undoubtedly one among the Nigerians who can solve our country’s energy issues.
On Tuesday, August 1, 2023, El- Rufai boldly informed the senators that President Tinubu had requested him to collaborate with him on the nation’s electricity crisis.
According to him, the President gave him a deadline of seven years to get Nigeria’s power shortages under control.
The reason the Red Chamber declined to approve the former Kaduna governor, who is regarded as a staunch APC supporter and a close associate of President Tinubu in a Senate predominated by members of his political party, is then a mystery.
The three ministerial nominees, whose names were not released, were awaiting security clearance, according to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who made the announcement at the conclusion of Monday’s session.
Senator Yemi Adaramodu, who serves as the Senate’s spokesperson, further stated that “48 names, including both boys and girls, were received. We had all the motivation we needed to complete the final screening, and 45 candidates were confirmed. The three remaining candidates are awaiting further legislative action, which will depend on the activities of other government agencies.
The Federal Republic of Nigeria has acknowledged and accepted 45 of the 48 names that were sent as ministers as of today.
“This, along with the three other names that are still awaiting further legislative action, will be communicated to the President.”
El-Rufai may have been removed from consideration, though, as a result of numerous petitions that were filed against him and that raised concerns about security and the supposed “toxic comments” he had made in public that were against the “national interest.”
Several petitions were brought against El-Rufai during the screening, including those sent by Senator Sunday Karimi (APC, Kogi West).
Senator Karimi spoke out against the former El-Rufai during the ministerial screening. He informed the chamber that he had drafted a petition accusing the previous governor of failing to address the security situation in Southern Kaduna.
Karimi remarked, “Your performance in every office you had in the nation has been exceptional. Your track record in the Bureau of Public Enterprises is there, as is your record as a minister in the Federal Capital Territory, and as the twice-elected governor of Kaduna State, you did well.
Karimi continues, “But, I have a very strong petition against you that bothers on the security, unity, and cohesiveness of the Nigerian nation.” He holds up a brown package in support of his claim. And I believe that the petition needs to be taken into account during this screening process.
Following that, Karimi presented the petition to Jibrin Barau, the Deputy Senate President in charge of the screening process at the time.
Nevertheless, Akpabio stepped in and declared, “This is not the place to consider petitions. Later, after sitting with the petitions, we will refer them to the appropriate authorities.
In addition to the petitions, El- Rufai was the subject of reports that he could not be trusted and simply intended to accept the ministerial position in order to further his desire to run for president in 2027.
In some circles, El-Rufai was held in high regard. He was viewed as “someone who will oppose President Tinubu’s desire for a second term.” He is not regarded as a dependable, loyal politician.
