Former presidential spokesperson and prominent social commentator, Reno Omokri has explained why President Bola Tinubu decided not to appoint former Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufai as a minister.
Omokri stated this in a tweet titled: “On Nasir el-Rufai’s Allegations Against President Tinubu and NSA Ribadu on Arise TV Today.”
Omokri claimed that El-Rufai allegedly failed security checks and was not confirmed by the National Assembly.
Omokri wrote: “On Monday, 24, 2025, Malam Nasir el-Rufai appeared on Arise Television and accused President Tinubu and the National Security Adviser of being behind his failed ministerial nomination.
“Mr. el-Rufai said, among other things, that “the President did not want me in his cabinet.”
“Nothing could be further from the truth. The fact is that President Bola Tinubu nominated Malam Nasir el-Rufai as a minister and, as is constitutionally required, sent his name to the National Assembly for Senate confirmation.
“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.
“For these and other reasons, Malam Nasir el-Rufai failed his security clearance and could not be cleared by the Senate of the National Assembly. He has himself to blame for this, not the President or the NSA.
“Nigerians may recall that el-Rufai was not the only ministerial nominee who was refused clearance. Nasir el-Rufai and two others, including Danladi Sani, the Taraba state nominee, and Stella Okotete of Delta state, were rejected because security agencies refused to clear them.
“None of the others has blamed the duo of the President or his NSA. None. Except el-Rufai.
“Thereafter, el-Rufai withdrew his nomination and named his former commissioner for local government, Jafaru Sani, as his replacement.”
