Fashola, El-Rufai battle for Chief of staff job in Tinubu's cabinet

Muyinwa Abiodun, Abuja

Barring any alteration, Nigeria’s President-elect, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu is set to name the Minister of Works and Urban Development, Mr. Babatunde Fashola as his Chief of Staff.

**PHOTO CAPTION L-R: BABATUNDE FASHOLA, MINISTRY OF WORKS AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, NIGERIA’S PRESIDENT-ELECT, BOLA TINUBU AND GOVERNOR NASIR EL-RUFAI , GOVERNOR OF KADUNA STATE.**

TheNewspad exclusively gathered in Abuja that Tinubu decided to settle for Fashola after proper scrutiny with the names submitted to him by the think-thank.

The President-elect who struggled to convince the power block from the north led by the governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai on his choice of Fashola told them in the meeting that his decision to choose the minister, is based on his past records as one of his key allies when he was a governor in Lagos State years ago.

Though governor El-Rufai who is billed to end his second tenure in office on May 29, 2023, was said not to have been disposed to the political arrangement because of his alleged interest for the position.

Moreso that support of the outgoing governor of Kaduna State, El-Rufai, a hardliner in the north, yet lost his party lost his State to the Peoples Democratic party (PDP) in the just concluded 2023 presidential election, is traced to the electoral victory of Tinubu.

Fashola is being considered for the job due to his support towards the victory of Tinubu despite the All Progressives Congress (APC) loss to the Labour party (LP) in the election in Lagos State in the election.

A source privy to the meeting said El-Rufai is being pacified with the position of minister of FCT, which he held during the tenure of former president Olusegun Obasanjo.

Another source hinted that Fashola’s bid succeeds, it could reduce the influence of the ‘Northern Cabals’ in his government to allow him concentrate on the business of governance, government policies and programmes in the new cabinet.

The source also said the incoming President is worried about the outcome of the election that produced him as winner which has generated so much wrinkles on the gentle face of history as such want to hit the ground running with good policies to douse tension in the Country .

He further revealed that it was on this basis that he is painstakingly searching capable hands to help him achieve his campaign promises for Nigerians.

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