During my father's administration, I did not participate in any contracts

Bello El-Rufai, the representative for Kaduna North Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, has said that he did not participate in contract awarding when his father, Nasir El-Rufai, was Kaduna State’s governor.

In an interview titled “With Shuraim,” which was presented by Yaya Abba, Bello made this claim.

PUNCH Online had access to the interview’s footage on Tuesday.

Under former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, the former governor held the position of Minister of the Federal Capital Territory from 2003 till 2007.

After that, from 2016 to 2023, he held two terms as governor of Kaduna State.

He was recently accused of leaving his successor, Uba Sani, with enormous contract liabilities of $587 million, N85 billion, and N115 billion.

Sani pointed out that the state currently has little money, not even enough to cover salaries.

On the other hand, Bello stated, “I believe Nasir is a brilliant mind and the kind of leader Nigeria truly needs; there are many like him.”

“When he became governor, we campaigned for him seriously. We knew the wave was coming, we knew there was a merger. We knew Buhari could win this time especially the alliance that happened with the Southwest.”

Bello, the Chairman House Committee on Banking Regulations, noted that at the time, “some of us were just learning the process. But immediately he became governor, he sent me, as I say, on exile. Unlike the children of the governors back then, I didn’t really stay in Kaduna doing contracts. ”

While stating that he now understands the reason behind his father’s decision to send him away from the political scene, Bello noted, “What happens to the man in power is that if they can’t get to him, they’ll get to the wives or children,” adding that it was “natural for contractors in Kaduna to think if they come through you, they’ll gain favour.

“He (the father) just took me out of that equation and it really helped.”

The legislator stated that he worked in Huawei’s Enterprise Business Unit during the first four years of his father’s administration in Kaduna. He further stated that his job experience at the company helped him to comprehend organizational structure.

Bello has previously mentioned his father’s aptitude for management and leadership.

Early in March 2024, Bello announced that his father’s nomination as minister had been denied by the Senate, meaning the country had lost a capable administrator.

Bello claimed that his father’s acceptance of President Bola Tinubu’s candidacy for a cabinet position required his and other family members’ pleading.