During a meeting held on Tuesday, August 08, 2023, between El-Rufai and President Tinubu, the former governor conveyed his decision to no longer pursue a ministerial position, clarifying that he intends to contribute to the development of Nigeria as a private citizen. In a report by Premium Times, El-Rufai also cited his ongoing commitment to a doctorate program at a university in The Netherlands as a primary reason for his withdrawal from the cabinet candidacy.
El-Rufai took the opportunity to propose Jafaru Ibrahim Sani as a suitable replacement for the Kaduna State ministerial slot. Sani, who served as a commissioner in various ministries within Kaduna State during El-Rufai’s tenure as governor, has been put forward as a competent candidate by the former governor.
It is worth noting that El-Rufai’s ministerial confirmation had faced some obstacles, with the Senate withholding his confirmation, along with those of two other nominees, based on security reports from the State Security Service (SSS). The other nominees were Sani Danladi, a former senator from Taraba, and Stella Okotete from Delta State.