I will not leave APC, will find another platform when things gets worse – El’Rufai
..I am still a member of APC, but won’t attend it’s NEC meeting
…says Tinubu, not NASS rejected his Ministerial nominations
By Tom Okpe
Immediate past Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has stated that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu rejected him, as a member of his cabinet, and not the National Assembly.
He said as a bonafide member of the ruling Party, he is still a member of the Party, but only have reservations on how things are done saying that he will find another platform for a better Nigeria when things gets worse.
He made this known on Monday, while speaking during an interview on Arise Television’s programme, Prime Time.
It was earlier, reported that President Tinubu nominated El-Rufai for a Ministerial appointment while forming his cabinet, but, the National Assembly rejected the former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, El’Rufai, based on what sources linked to ‘security issues.’
The former Governor further revealed that the President changed his mind on the nomination after asking him publicly, not to be far from him after leaving office.
The President publicly, appealed to me, to put my plans on hold, and through two months of negotiations, we finally agreed that he would nominate me as Minister and there were certain conditions I attached.
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He said: “I am still A member Of The APC, I only have some reservations on how certain things are done. I am not leaving the Party, the APC has left me and if it goes bad further, we may find another platform to pursue our dreams for a better nation.
“Since I left office and the President begged me publicly to come and serve in his Government, I had my plans and told President Tinubu from day one when he asked me to support him, I said I would, but I do not want anything because politics in Nigeria is always about what do I get, for giving you support.
“I am not in politics for that reason. I am not in politics to get anything. I have a surname, and I am a self-made man. I have made money before coming into public office. I don’t need anything. After eight years in Kaduna, I was nearly burnt out.
“I was struggling for eight years and I wanted to take a break, with my private plans.
“I think, along the line, either the President changed his mind or something else. Please, don’t believe the story that the National Assembly rejected me.
“The National Assembly had nothing to do with this. The President didn’t want me in his cabinet. He changed his mind. Whatever it is, I don’t care, and I have moved on with my life.
“Since I have moved on, I have not said a word, not granted an interview, and have not commented on the Government, but it is within my right as a founding member of the All Progressives Congress, APC, to ask why my Party, is not functioning properly, as one of the thirty fourth, 34, person’s that signed the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC forms, for the Party to be registered.”
On the issue of the security report, which was used by the National Assembly to reject the nomination, El-Rufai said: “What was the security issue? I have been the Governor for 8 years in one of the most difficult States in the country.
“Where is the report? What about other Ministers’ who are far less qualified and have huge controversies around them that scaled through the process at the National Assembly, because the President made calls,” he queried.
He also, stressed that he is still a bonfide member of the Party, maintaining that he will not attend it’s National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting holding, today, Wednesday in Abuja.
He said he won’t be available for the Party Caucus meeting, but his friends will be there saying, “I had my plans of travelling to Cairo, scheduled for today, Wednesday.
He further stressed that anyone can be member of a political Party, but party leadership has to do with qualifications and reward for what you stand for the party, “that’s what we did in Kaduna State.”
He explained: “In 2023, I was indifferent about who becomes the President, when Tinubu became the flag bearer of my party, I was bound to support him, though there’s elements around the President that tried to do otherwise which Zulum called me and said this is what is happening, we came together as Northern Governors Forum, we truncated that, and insisted that the APC flag bearer must be from the South, who the Southerners gives us, is left to them, that’s what transpired.
“We consulted widely, including President Buhari then, and other APC executives in Kaduna, same thing will happen in 2027. I will consult widely before throwing my support.
“The appointments is not balanced, that’s true, but it is not a Yoruba thing, Tinubu is appointing his boys, not Yoruba people, there’s clear difference.
“Uba Sani has been my friend for many years, but not anymore, because the concept of friendship is to be there for you when you needed them the most, Uba Sani and Nuhu Ribadu used to be my friends. But I think something happened, not anymore.”
When asked if he is still relevant in Kaduna State, he said: “If I am relevant in Kaduna State or not? Well, we will see who is more relevant when the time comes.
“I read the report of Kaduna State Assembly that billions were syphoned, they did not state from where to where, money cannot just disappear, I told all my commissioners to calm down, we have been invited by ICPC, they found nothing, the EFCC has also done their investigation and nothing was discovered.
“Nuhu Ribadu is the architect of all that you see, going on with these investigations working alongside with Uba Sani to destroy my reputation, Nuhu Ribadu wants to be President in 2031 and wants to eliminate every Northerner that’s on the radar.
“I support some of Tinubu’s policies; most of the economic policies are the right orthodox policies, but the sequencing is wrong and the quality of the people implementing the reforms leaves much to be desired.
“People say I criticized President Tinubu. I never said anything against him or his Government. I only criticized APC
“Do not punish the Yorubas for the mistake of one man just like it’s being done to the Northerners. There’s difference between Omoluabi and an Area Boy,” he added.
