Nasir El-Rufai, the former Governor of Kaduna State, has opted to step back from his intention to join President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet as a minister. During his confirmation hearing, El-Rufai had initially expressed his willingness to collaborate with Mr. Tinubu on matters of power.

However, in a recent meeting with President Tinubu, El-Rufai conveyed his decision to forgo the role of a minister. He emphasized his commitment to contribute to Nigeria’s development as a private citizen, as reported by Premium Times.

As part of his explanation, El-Rufai mentioned his ongoing pursuit of a doctorate program at a university in The Netherlands. In light of this, he put forward a new nominee for the ministerial position — Jafaru Ibrahim Sani — hailing from Kaduna State. El-Rufai assured the President that Sani’s expertise and resourcefulness could be of great value.

Jafaru Ibrahim Sani, who had previously served as a commissioner in three key ministries (Local Government, Education, and Environment) during El-Rufai’s tenure as governor, has been put forth by El-Rufai as a worthy candidate for the role. (BusinessDay)