Former Kaduna state governor, Nasir El Rufai says President Tinubu, and not the National Assembly, rejected him as a minister. Mallam el-Rufai disclosed this during an interview with Arise TV on Monday, wherein he rubbished speculation that he was rejected by the national assembly. In August 2023, el-Rufai withdrew his hat from the ministerial race, following his controversial senate screening. The ex-governor has now clarified that contrary to public opinion, he was ousted from the ministerial race by President Tinubu. READ ALSO: El-Rufai's son calls out 'Pablo Escobar' - warns Tinubu's govt against arresting his father He said the decision followed previous public appeals from the President to join his cabinet. “The president publicly appealed to me to put my plans on hold, and through two months of negotiation, we finally agreed that he will nominate me as minister,” he said. “There were certain conditions I attached to that. I think along the line either the president changed his mind or something else. “Please don’t believe the story that the national assembly rejected me. The president did not want me in his cabinet. He changed his mind.” El-Rufai who has been critical of Tinubu's performance thus far reiterated his disappointment, lamenting the president's inability to match the "very high expectations" he set for himself. Two years after the election of President Tinubu, none of the party organs are functioning, the progressive ideals are not being pursued with vigour and the very high expectations we had of the president to take this country to the highest level based on his track record in Lagos is somehow not materializing. RELATED: ‘I won’t go on exile’: El-Rufai dares Tinubu's govt amid plot to arrest him