Former presidential spokesperson and social commentator, Reno Omokri, has explained why former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, was not appointed as a minister in President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
In a widely shared tweet titled “On Nasir El-Rufai’s Allegations Against President Tinubu and NSA Ribadu on Arise TV Today,” Omokri dismissed claims made by El-Rufai that President Tinubu and National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu were responsible for his failed ministerial nomination.
Security Clearance Issues Led to Rejection
Omokri clarified that Tinubu had indeed nominated El-Rufai for a ministerial position and submitted his name to the National Assembly for confirmation, as required by law. However, during the Senate screening process, security checks reportedly revealed concerns that led to his disqualification.
“During the Senate confirmation process, the National Assembly requested security clearance from both national and international security and intelligence agencies, and it was discovered that Nasir El-Rufai failed his security screening woefully,” Omokri wrote.
He emphasized that this was the primary reason El-Rufai was not confirmed, stating that the former governor had only himself to blame rather than the President or NSA Ribadu.
El-Rufai Was Not the Only Rejected Nominee
Omokri further pointed out that El-Rufai was not the only nominee who failed security clearance. Others, including Danladi Sani from Taraba State and Stella Okotete from Delta State, were also rejected due to similar concerns. However, Omokri noted that unlike El-Rufai, neither of the other nominees publicly blamed Tinubu or Ribadu for their disqualification.
Following his rejection, El-Rufai reportedly withdrew from consideration and nominated Jafaru Sani, his former commissioner for local government, as his replacement.
Omokri’s statement has added a new dimension to the controversy surrounding El-Rufai’s exclusion, shedding light on the security concerns that reportedly influenced the decision.
