Why El-Rufai is returning as minister, by aide

The decision of former Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai to return to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) of President Bola Tinubu has been attributed to patriotic zeal.

Amidst speculation in the build-up to the 2023 general election, El-Rufai had at a public function last year ruled out his return to FEC.

El-Rufai was Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) 20 years ago.

His ministerial nomination by President Tinubu has made critics to bring up the video clip where he made statement of his not returning to the federal cabinet.

But an aide of the ex-governor has said that events have overtaken the promise made by El-Rufai not to return to FEC as minister.

A source close to the former governor, who was reacting to the video which has gone viral on social media, said that “El-Rufai’s vow in clip was made in a media chat that he granted on July 29, 2022.”

The source, who does not want to be named, pointed out that “Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu publicly asked El-Rufai to rescind that promise three months later which the then governor did.”

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“As the presidential candidate of APC, Asiwaju was a Special Guest at the Kaduna Investment and Economic Summit in October 2022. When it was his turn to speak, he told El-Rufai point blank that he must be part of the next administration.

“In fact, the  Jagaban Borgu threatened that he would not leave the podium until El-Rufai publicly denounce his earlier promise of going abroad for further studies instead of becoming  a minister.

“This can be authenticated by the video clip of the KADInvest, where Asiwaju’s threat drew uproarious laughter and applause from the audience when he made the threat. Dignitaries like Senator Uba Sani can be seen leading Malam to the podium.

“When El-Rufai got to the stage, he promised to be part of the incoming APC administration, which he largely helped to actualise, especially for being the arrowhead of the Northern governors who insisted on power shift to the South, to supporting Asiwaju during the presidential primaries and campaigning for him during the general election,” the source argued.

The source further pointed out that “El-Rufai was not desperate to become minister unlike some ex-governors who virtually relocated to Asiwaju’s private residence and the Presidential Villa before and after swearing-in.”

According to him, El-Rufai was lobbied to be made minister because the former governor will add value to the Tinubu administration which is poised to take Nigeria to greater heights.

The Star