What Went Wrong With Tinubu/El-Rufai Ministerial Agreement

More information has come to light regarding the breakdown of the agreement between President Bola Tinubu and Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, a former governor of Kaduna State, for the latter to serve as a minister in the Federal Executive Council, which has not yet been established. 

According to PUNCH, El-Rufai had often discussed with the President how the country would have a reliable power supply in a few years when he was offered to lead the proposed Ministry of Power and Gas.

The former minister of the Federal Capital Territory initially told Tinubu that he preferred to leave the country and lead a quiet life. Still, he later changed his mind following what one source described as "intensive discussions with the President after winning the election." 

According to reports, El-Rufai advised the President to include gas in the ministry of power since it was a requirement for the nation to have a consistent supply of electricity. 

The source claimed that El-Rufai had begun convening eggheads who had been advising the President on how to fulfil his key election campaign promise of delivering an uninterrupted electricity supply. 

The source spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak about the private meetings. 

Findings indicated that among others, Jimi Lawal, Olu Verheijen, Special Adviser to the President on Energy Matters, Eyo Ekpo, and Tolu Oyekan were members of the clique of eggheads. 

The El-Rufai faction thought that several issues may have caused the President to put off confirming him.

According to a source close to the gang who spoke on the condition of anonymity, "Some Villa members may have felt threatened by El-Rufai. They do not want him because they are preparing for the upcoming election, if necessary, and because they see him as a possible threat to their goals.

"Some political rivals, including Senator Shehu Sani, as well as some CAN members and even some Muslim clerics are all involved in the gang-up. 

"Recall that El-Rufai had problems with federal lawmakers when he claimed that some of them were demanding bribes from him during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. When Obasanjo got involved, the issue was settled, and the Senate exonerated him. Therefore, President Tinubu would have urged that the previous governor be cleared if he had preferred El-Rufai."