Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has alleged that some individuals paid money to secure ministerial positions in President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

He made this claim in an interview with BBC Hausa while discussing his exclusion from the ministerial list.

In July 2023, Tinubu sent a list of ministerial nominees, including El-Rufai, to the Senate for approval. However, the Senate refused to confirm El-Rufai and some others due to “security concerns.”

When asked if he left the All Progressives Congress (APC) because of this, El-Rufai denied it. He stated that he never sought the position but was personally invited by Tinubu.

El-Rufai claimed that Tinubu personally begged him to join the government and help solve Nigeria’s electricity crisis.

“Mr. President begged me, and the whole world knows he came to Kaduna to ask me to serve. He wanted me to fix Nigeria’s electricity problem, which past presidents failed to do. Because of this, I believed he was serious,” El-Rufai said.

However, he later chose not to take the role.

When asked if he regrets supporting Tinubu in the 2023 election, El-Rufai said he does not but admitted he is disappointed with the administration.

On March 10, 2025, he officially resigned from APC and joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

This revelation has sparked fresh debate about corruption and political appointments in Nigeria.