By Reno Omokri
On Monday, February 24, 2025, Malam Nasir el-Rufai appeared on Arise Television and accused President Bola Tinubu and the National Security Adviser of being behind his failed ministerial nomination. He stated that “the President did not want me in his cabinet.”
However, this assertion is far from the truth. President Tinubu did nominate el-Rufai as a minister and, in accordance with constitutional requirements, submitted his name to the National Assembly for Senate confirmation. During the Senate confirmation process, security clearance was requested from both national and international security and intelligence agencies. It was revealed that el-Rufai failed this security screening significantly, being considered a diplomatic liability to Nigeria.
Notably, on February 7, 2019, el-Rufai threatened European Union observers, saying, “We are waiting for the person who will come and intervene. They will go back in body bags because nobody will come to Nigeria and tell us how to run our country.” This threat prompted the European Union to formally protest to the Nigerian government and issue a public statement condemning the country.
In addition, el-Rufai has been implicated in various controversies, including being a major contributor to the genocide of Southern Kaduna Christians, admitting to paying killer herdsmen during his tenure as Governor. His administration was also indicted in the Zaria Shiite Massacre on December 12, 2015, where 438 individuals, including men, women, and children, were killed in one of Africa’s most significant human rights violations.
Moreover, el-Rufai was known for demolishing the homes of political opponents, such as Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi and Inuwa Abdulkadir, as well as another critic, Aisha Yakubu, under dubious pretenses. His history of reckless statements against Christians includes insults directed at Jesus Christ and claims that “even if I bring the Pope, Christians will never vote for me.”
These factors contributed to el-Rufai’s failure to obtain security clearance from the Senate. He has no one to blame but himself, not the President or the NSA. It is worth noting that el-Rufai was not the only ministerial nominee denied clearance; he, along with Taraba state’s Danladi Sani and Delta state’s Stella Okotete, faced similar rejections without blaming the President or the NSA—except for el-Rufai.
El-Rufai withdrew his nomination and appointed his former Commissioner for Local Government, Jafaru Sani, as his replacement. His bitterness over the failed ministerial bid has led him to lash out at those striving for the betterment of Nigeria.
Reno Omokri
Deep Thinker. #TableShaker. Ruffler of the Feathers of Obidents. #1 Bestselling author of *Facts Versus Fiction: The True Story of the Jonathan Years*. Hodophile. Hollywood Magazine Humanitarian of the Year, 2019. Business Insider Influencer of the Year 2022. 21st Most Talked About Person in Africa, 2024.
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