ASHENEWS reports that the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF) has called on relevant security agencies, and the Senate to clear the former Kaduna state governor, Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai, nominated by President Bola Tinubu for appointment as minister of the Federal Republic.
The Forum also warned that its patience was being tested with the Senate, and security agencies’ refusal to confirm El-Rufai’s nomination.
In a statement by AYCF President, Yerima Shettima made available to ASHENEWS on Tuesday, the Forum said the youth and northern Nigeria felt humiliated by the news that out of the 48 names submitted to the Senate by Tinubu, El-Rufai is among the only three whose confirmations were differed.
“We regret to note that the targeting of Nasir El-Rufai for such irreverent treatment is part of a wider agenda being pursued by certain dubious political interests to deny the north and the younger generation of Nigerians fair representation in the coming cabinet.
“It is suspicious that El-Rufai, who is among the best, if not the best of all the names submitted by the President should be among the only three that could not be confirmed without justifiable reasons.
“We consider it deceptive for the Senate to give security checks as reason for not confirming El-Rufai because it is common knowledge that the ministerial nomination list passed through security scrutiny before getting to the Senate.
“At the risk of overstating the case, we can boldly say that El-Rufai, Hannatu Musawa, Bello Matawalle and Festus Keyamo are by far the best representation of the young generation of Nigerians included in the list.
“It will therefore amount to unwarranted provocation to Kaduna State, to the North and to the Nigerian youth for El-Rufai not to be confirmed for flimsy considerations,” Shettima said.
