The Forum for Transparency and Accountability in Governance (FTAG) has issued a call to President Bola Tinubu, urging him not to appoint the former Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, into his cabinet. The group emphasized that there is an ongoing case of an alleged N32 billion fraud against El-Rufai with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

In a statement released on Saturday in Abuja, the group highlighted that El-Rufai must address and clear his name of these allegations, especially now that he has lost his immunity as a sitting governor. The statement, jointly signed by Dr. Bala Musa Mustapha, the Convener of FTAG, Mr. Nouel Malama, Secretary General, and Nafisa Hamid Jika, Director of Publicity, strongly urged President Tinubu to remove the former governor’s name from any proposed cabinet members’ list if it had been considered, to maintain the credibility of his cabinet.

“Any government that prides itself on probity and accountability should not be seen to patronize the likes of the former governor of Kaduna State. It’s in the public domain that Malam Nasir El-Rufai is facing prosecution of N32 billion in court,” the statement reads in part.

“Also, the former governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje is facing rejection over his dirty past involving dollar bribes and what is good for Ganduje should be good for El-Rufai.

“We hope that President Tinubu will come out clean on the El-Rufai issue, while we hope that he should not allow Nigerians to hit the streets before doing the right thing.”

The group also argued that El-Rufai escaped prosecution while in office because of the immunity, and that it was time for him to face public probity and the legal consequences of his actions.