Former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu personally pleaded with him to join his government and help tackle Nigeria’s longstanding electricity crisis. Speaking at an event in Kaduna, El-Rufai shared details of the conversation, highlighting the importance of addressing the nation’s power challenges and the critical role he could play in the solution.
El-Rufai, who served two terms as governor of Kaduna State, expressed his willingness to contribute to Nigeria’s development under President Tinubu’s leadership, but emphasized that a concerted effort is needed to solve the persistent electricity issues that have crippled the country’s economic growth and hindered industrial development.
"I was in Kaduna when President Tinubu reached out to me and begged me to consider joining his government to help fix Nigeria’s electricity sector," El-Rufai stated. "He made it clear that he understood the critical role that power plays in the growth of any economy, and he wanted me to lend my expertise and experience to solving this challenge."
El-Rufai’s comments come at a time when the Nigerian government is under pressure to find lasting solutions to the country’s power supply woes. Despite significant investments and efforts by successive administrations, the electricity sector remains underdeveloped, with frequent power outages and a large portion of the population still lacking reliable access to electricity.
El-Rufai acknowledged the complexity of the problem but reiterated his commitment to supporting the government in tackling the electricity crisis. He highlighted that his experience as the former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and as governor of Kaduna State, where he focused on infrastructure development, would be invaluable in addressing the power sector's challenges.
"I have always believed that sustainable solutions to Nigeria’s problems lie in collaboration, innovation, and the political will to execute reforms. I am ready to work with President Tinubu to bring the much-needed transformation to the electricity sector, which will, in turn, propel our economic growth," El-Rufai added.