2031 presidency:  You lied, Ribadu tells El-Rufai  

Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser, NSA, has said the former governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai lied when he claimed that he (Ribadu) has plans to run for presidency in 2031.

’El-Rufai had alleged in an interview on Arise Television on Monday that Ribadu was the brain behind the various of probes of his tenure as Kaduna governor, intending to rubbish his reputation and pave the way for NSA’s 2031 presidential ambition.

“I read the report of the Kaduna State Assembly that billions were syphoned but they did not state from where to where. Money cannot just disappear, I told all my commissioners to calm down, we have been invited by ICPC, they found nothing yet, the EFCC has also done their investigation and nothing was discovered,” the former governor said, describing Ribadu and Uba Sani, Governor of Kaduna State as his former friends.

“Ribadu is the architect of all that you see that is going on with these investigations working alongside Uba Sani to destroy my reputation, Ribadu has plans to contest for President in 2031,”

However, Ribadu in a statement he personally signed on Tuesday, denied that he was nursing presidential ambition.

He added that he was focused on the advancement of the country and the success of the Tinubu administration.

Full statement of the statement:

I WON’T JOIN ISSUES WITH NASIR EL-RUFAI ~ Nuhu Ribadu

“My attention has been drawn to the interview granted by Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, the immediate past governor of Kaduna State on Monday evening.

“If my silence wouldn’t risk being construed as consent, I would have ignored him. I am too preoccupied with my current assignment as to get into a media fight with Nasir El-Rufai or anyone else.

“Despite the incessant baiting and attacks, I have never spoken ill of Nasir on record anywhere. This is out of respect for our past association and our respective families. I will not start today.

“I, however, urge the public to disregard El-rufai’s statements against me.

“For the avoidance of doubt, I want to put it on record that I have never discussed running for president in 2031 with anybody. All my focus and energy are geared completely towards the advancement of Nigeria and the success of the President Tinubu administration.

“I, therefore, ask Nasir El-Rufai to allow me face my onerous national assignment just as I do not bother myself with his own affairs.”

El-Rufai had also claimed in the interview
that President Bola Tinubu was appointing only his boys into his cabinet, a reason that made him go back on his promise to make him one of his ministers.
According to him, prior to Tinubu becoming president, both of them agreed he would be appointed into the cabinet but was shocked that the President did not only fail to fulfill his promise but went ahead to appoint only his boys into the cabinet.

“The appointments are not balanced, that’s true, but it is not a Yoruba thing, Tinubu is appointing his boys, not Yoruba people, there’s a clear difference,” he alleged.

“The president didn’t want me in his cabinet, the National Assembly has nothing to do with me.What was the security issue? I have been the governor of one of the difficult states. I was a minister 20 years ago.”