Bello El-Rufai, the House of Representatives member representing Kaduna North Federal Constituency, has refuted claims of involvement in contract awards during his father's tenure as Kaduna State governor. In an interview on 'With Shuraim,' hosted by Yaya Abba, he stated that he was not engaged in contract activities while his father, Nasir El-Rufai, served as governor.
The video of the interview was seen by PUNCH Online, where Bello addressed the accusations leveled against his father of leaving significant debts for his successor, Uba Sani, amounting to $587 million, N85 billion, and N115 billion in contract liabilities, leaving the state with insufficient funds to pay salaries.
Bello praised his father's leadership qualities, describing him as an exceptional leader and stating that his family actively campaigned for him during his political campaigns. He shared that upon his father's assumption of office, he was sent away from Kaduna, unlike other governors' children who remained in the state, engaging in contract activities.
Reflecting on his time away from the political scene, Bello acknowledged the wisdom behind his father's decision, noting that it protected him from undue influence and pressures associated with his father's position. He mentioned that during his father's first four years as governor, he worked in Huawei's Enterprise Business Unit, which provided him with valuable insights into organizational structures.
This isn't the first time Bello has spoken highly of his father's leadership. In early March 2024, he expressed regret over the Senate's rejection of his father's ministerial nomination, describing Nasir El-Rufai as an effective administrator and revealing that it took the family's persuasion for his father to accept the ministerial nomination from President Bola Tinubu.
