Bello El-Rufai, the House of Representatives member representing Kaduna North Federal Constituency, has clarified that he wasn’t involved in contract awards during his father’s tenure as the governor of Kaduna State. Nasir El-Rufai, his father, previously served as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory from 2003 to 2007 and later as a two-term governor of Kaduna State from 2016 to 2023.
Recent accusations have surfaced, alleging that Nasir El-Rufai left substantial debts amounting to $587 million, N85 billion, and N115 billion in contract liabilities for his successor, Uba Sani, leaving the state with insufficient funds to cover basic expenses such as salaries.
In response to these allegations, Bello El-Rufai praised his father’s leadership qualities, describing him as an exceptional leader needed in Nigeria. He recounted how they campaigned vigorously for his father during his gubernatorial bid and acknowledged the strategic political landscape that favored his victory.
Bello disclosed that despite his proximity to power, his father deliberately kept him away from involvement in governmental affairs and contracts, sending him away from Kaduna to avoid undue influence or accusations of favoritism. Reflecting on his early career in the technology sector with Huawei, Bello emphasized the value of his professional experience in understanding organizational dynamics.
This isn’t the first time Bello has lauded his father’s governance skills. In March 2024, he lamented the Senate’s rejection of his father’s ministerial nomination, asserting that Nigeria had lost an effective administrator. He revealed that it took considerable persuasion from family members for Nasir El-Rufai to accept the ministerial appointment offered by President Bola Tinubu.
