Why I’m not lobbying to be Tinubu’s Chief of Staff – Nasir El-rufai
Chima Azubuike
Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-rufai, on Saturday said he doesn’t want to be Chief of Staff to Bola Tinubu, Nigeria’s President-elect, adding that he was committed to contributing to the country’s development through useful counsel.
El-rufai indicated that he would prefer private sector in the next 22 days after handing over as Governor.
He made this disclosure in his address at the commissioning of Gombe Geographic Information Systems service centre, after performing ground breaking of 550 Shongo homes and gardens under the family homes fund in Gombe State.
He said, “I will be leaving office in 22 days, but I will be available anytime if you need troublemaker. I will be in private sector, I’m not going to be any Chief of Staff. I will take a break and advice people like governor Inuwa Yahaya, if they need it.”
Fielding answers to journalists on why he would not accept the compensation to serve despite his support to Tinubu, El-rufai added, “I have not had the discussion with the President-elect and I don’t want to speculate. I read in the pages of Newspapers and I see all kinds of portfolios assigned to me.
“I’m a committed Nigerian and I want to see my country make progress and whatever I can do to contribute to the development I will but I don’t have to do it working in the Government everyone working in private sector or civil society is contributing there is no one way to contribute to the country and I will never stop working for Nigeria’s progress.”
Speaking further El-rufai disclosed that they were troubled when the President-elect polled second highest votes in Gombe, commending the electorate for supporting the aspiration of Governor Muhammadu Yahaya, adding “When presidential result was announced and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu came second we were quiet worried about the re-election of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, but I was very pleased that the people of Gombe have shown once again that they know how to separate the wheat from the chaff.
“They know those that work for them they know those that promise and break their promises by being strategic and selective in their voting that they returned governor Inuwa Yahaya with overwhelming votes of over 130,000 votes for the election and even increased the number of APC members by two.”
He noted that Yahaya would do more than he did in his first tenure, stressing that the first term was hectic with economic challenges, “I want to thank the people of Gombe State for re-electing my brother, my friend and in-law. I assure you that what you have seen in the last four years is just the beginning because the last four years has been very challenging for anyone in governance, in 2020 we had COVID-19, in 2022 the Ukraine war disrupted global economy which affected our revenues and most states Federal Allocation dropped by about 30 per cent. It was with these challenges that Governor Inuwa Yahaya was able to build infrastructural and social capital development that you have seen in the last four years. I want to assure you that the next four years will be better because there will be more resources and he has overwhelming support in Gombe State Assembly to do more,” he said.
He commended the traditional institution for the overwhelming collaboration with the security agencies, adding that it had impacted the state’s record as one of the safest in the country.
“Far from when Gombe used to be a base for Boko Haram terrorists. Your royal highnesses we continue to pray for you for God’s guidance so that you continue to assist the State Government to keep Gombe safe,” he said.
He commended the governor for standardising Gombe Geographic Information Systems, saying that
El-rufai said, “It’s important to know how much land you have to allow development and increase revenue.”
