By Seyi Babalola
Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has notified President Bola Tinubu that he is no longer interested in serving in his cabinet after being rejected by the Senate.
Premium Times claimed, citing unnamed sources, that the former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory told the president on Tuesday during his visit with former Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike.
According to reports, Wike was in the presidential mansion making a case for El-Rufai.
While no details were provided during the visit, it has emerged that the former Minister, shaken by the Senate rejection due to “dirty” petitions bordering on national security, informed the president of his withdrawal, not without pledging his loyalty and readiness to contribute to his administration, but from the sideline.
“He also told the president that he needed time to focus on his doctorate programme at a university in The Netherlands,” the paper quoted a source.
In his place, the report said El-Rufai suggested a new ministerial nominee in the person of Jafaru Ibrahim Sani, Kaduna State, who he had appointed as a commissioner during his time as Governor.