El-Rufai visits Tinubu in Aso Rock — days after senate withheld his ministerial confirmation

President Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday, met with Nasir el-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna, at the presidential villa.

Nyesom Wike, former governor of Rivers and a ministerial nominee, was also at the State House to see the president.

El-rufai’s meeting with Tinubu is his first public engagement with the president since Monday when the senate withheld his confirmation as a ministerial nominee.

The former governor of Kaduna was among the 48 ministerial nominees recommended by Tinubu to the upper legislative chamber for screening and confirmation.

On Monday, the red chamber screened and confirmed 45 out of the 48 nominees, excluding el-Rufai and two others. 

Explaining why el-Rufai and Stella Okotete (Delta) and Danladi Abubakar (Taraba) — were not confirmed, Senate President Godswill Akpabio said the legislators were yet to get security clearance on them.

“The others are still awaiting security clearance,” Akpabio had said.

TheCable had reported how Sunday Karimi, senator representing Kogi west, presented a petition against el-Rufai while the former Kaduna governor was being screened for the ministerial position last week.

“I have a very strong petition against you that borders on security, unity and cohesiveness of the Nigerian nation,” Karimi said.

“And I think that the petition has to be considered in this screening exercise.”

While details of the meeting with Tinubu have not been made public, TheCable understands that the sit-down with the president may revolve around the suspension of el-Rufai’s confirmation by the senate.