A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Enugu State, Mr Osita Okechukwu has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu not to jettison the appointment of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai as a member of his cabinet.
The appointment of the former Kaduna governor has been a subject of controversy after his confirmation was put on hold by the Senate following a security report.
There has also been a report that El-Rufai has opted to reject the ministerial slot.
However, Okechukwu, while answering questions from journalists in Enugu on Sunday, counselled that El-Rufai’s expected quality contributions to the nation as minister should be put into consideration.
Okechukwu, a foundation member of the APC and Director General of Voice of Nigeria, appealed to President Tinubu, to as a matter of urgent national importance, halt his ejection of El-Rufai from the Federal Executive Council.
He recalled making a similar appeal that El-Rufai should be made Chief of Staff but former President Muhammadu Buhari preferred him as governor of Kaduna.
According to him, “The extraordinary El-Rufai tonic was lost and one will not like neither our dear nation nor President Tinubu to miss this rare opportunity.”
While harping on the ideas El-Rufai would bring on the table towards revamping the nation’s power sector, Okechukwu said: “El-Rufai’s ejection from the system will unintentionally lead to the ejection of more Nigerians from the National Electricity Grid.
“A lot of rich Nigerians are already ejected from our public electricity supply chain by epileptic power supply and many poor Nigerians by high tariffs. We need a unique one like El-Rufai to fix it.”
“I am neither a cheerleader of Malam Nasir El-Rufai nor is he indispensable; however as Mr Project, he is equipped more than some of us to not only transform our electricity chain, but sanitise the toxic power industry.
“His track records in FCT, and Kaduna State confirmed his exceptional competence and capacity to overhaul our electricity chain.
“He is already rounding up his PhD on Power Reforms abroad and has assembled a team for this onerous assignment. Let him be Mr President,” Okechukwu appealed.
Asked if he is not aware of El-Rufai’s alleged transgressions which may be the reason behind the security report against him, Okechukwu answered that, “One wholly condemns injustice of any hue from anyone, let alone the reckless killings which took place in Kaduna under his watch.
“Injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere; however, saving thousands of lives that die in Nigeria daily by omission or commission as result of epileptic power supply may be an atonement for Malam El-Rufai.”
Ministerial appointment: Don’t discard El-Rufai – Okechukwu appeals to President Tinubu