There is absolutely no explanation for the former governor of Kaduna state, Ahmad Nasir el-Rufai, and Mrs. Stella Okotete’s actions, according to the All Progressives Congress (APC) Support Group, which has urged the Senate to clear them immediately.
The support group, led by Engineer Jator Abido, Prince Danielson Momoh, and Comrade Chinedu Livinus, urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to step in and address the unnecessary issue involving Senate President Senator Godswill Akpabio and several security services in the recently completed ministerial screening.
Recall that the Senate was recently sent a list of 48 nominees for ministerial positions by the President for their consideration. However, on August 7, 2023, the Senate revealed that only 45 of the nominees had been thoroughly vetted and approved, excluding three nominees under the pretense of a security report, including Stella Oketete from Delta State and Ahmed El-Rufai from Kaduna State.
The APC Support Group criticized the Senate’s action as unfair and questioned the Senate President’s decision to act against the interests of his own party.
“It’s unfortunate for Akpabio to be implicated in actions that seem to be harmful to the All Progressives Congress (APC),” the statement reads. During the election of President Bola Tinubu, well-known individuals like Governor El-Rufai and Stella Oketete played crucial roles in ensuring Tinubu secured victories not only in their wards but also in states and the nation at large. They shouldn’t be treated with such extreme disrespect as the Senate just did.
The group also questioned why Nasir El-Rufai and Stella Oketete were not the subject of any security reports throughout the election campaigns, only for some overzealous security agencies working for state enemies to fabricate security reports that are untrue in order to damage the nominees’ reputations and prevent them from reaping the rewards of their labor.
“Stella Oketete’s work as the Secretary of the Election Monitoring Committee and El-Rufai’s as the Governor of Kaduna State during the elections showed their dedication to the party’s achievement, and they both merit recognition for their services.
It is evident from Akpabio’s position during the ministerial screening process that he is not a legitimate party member and that he has ulterior motives for his recent deeds. He clearly has a malicious motive, which could jeopardize the APC’s success and cohesion, the statement continued.
The group outlined a few of Governor El-Rufai’s accomplishments, describing them as “invaluable” because of the way he “stood steadfast in various challenges, including a showdown with the former president over the introduction of new naira notes, and even confronting notable party figures like former Chairman Abdullahi Adamu and ex-Senate President Ahmed Lawan in the interest of the nation”
Finally, the group urged the President and other pertinent parties to summon Senator Akpabio to order, stressing the value of preserving party unity and resolving any internal disputes that would impede the APC’s overall development.
