JUST IN: I don’t see why El-Rufai won’t be cleared to be minister – Ex-APC Vice Chair, Lukman

The former National Vice Chairman (North-West) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Lukman said there is no any reason why the former Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state should not be cleared to be minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Lukman stated this while speaking in an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday.

On Nasir El-Rufai’s non-confirmation as a ministerial nominee, Lukman describing as overplayed politics.

Recall that 45 ministerial nominees were confirmed on August 7 following a week-long screening.

But, the confirmation of former Kaduna State governor along with Stella Okotete (Delta State) and Abubakar Danladi (Taraba State) was deferred, as the the trio were said to be undergoing security clearance.

He said, “My personal opinion is that, again, politics is being overplayed. If other nominees are cleared, I don’t see any reason why Mallam Nasir will not be cleared.

“Sincerely speaking, the earlier we reduce political considerations in terms of the determination of decisions with respect to appointments, the better for the country,” he added.

Meanwhile, Lukman, has kicked over Senator Abdullahi Ganduje’s emergence as the National Chairman of the ruling APC.

The party’s former vice chairman, who had preempted with his resignation last month, described the party’s decision to elect Ganduje as incorrect.

In his resignation letter dated July 26, 2023, and addressed to the then acting APC National Chairman, Abubakar Kyari, the APC stalwart explained that he would rather not become a source of distraction to the new administration of President Bola Tinubu.

He said, “Dr Ganduje has emerged as the chairman of the party and I’m loyal; I respect it. But I disagree, it is not the right decision. That we’re living with a wrong decision is a different matter entirely.

“But as progressive politicians, we must have the commitment to continue to engage the issue such that we, collectively, are able to correct any wrong decision that has been taken.”