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I didnt involve myself with any contract during my father’s tenure – Bello El-Rufai
The former governor was recently accused of leaving a huge debt for his successor, Uba Sani, to the tune of $587 million, N85 billion, and N115 billion in contract liabilities.
Bello El-Rufai, the House of Representatives member for Kaduna North Federal Constituency, stated that he was not involved in contract awards while his father, Nasir El-Rufai, was Kaduna State’s governor.
In an interview with Yaya Abba titled “With Shuraim” on Tuesday, Bello made this claim.
Remember that El-Rufai was the Federal Capital Territory’s Minister during the Olusegun Obasanjo administration’s tenure from 2003 to 2007?
From 2016 until 2023, El-Rufai held two terms as governor of Kaduna State.
The former governor was recently accused of leaving a huge debt for his successor, Uba Sani, to the tune of $587 million, N85 billion, and N115 billion in contract liabilities.
Sani noted that the state is now left with few amounts not enough to pay salary.
Reacting to the issue, however, Bello said, “I think he (Nasir) is an exceptional mind and the sort of leader that Nigeria really 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, further said, “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. ”
He said he now understands the reason behind his father’s decision to send him away from the political scene.
Bello said, “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 lawmaker said that during the first four years of his father’s administration in Kaduna, he worked in the Enterprise Business Unit of the technology firm, Huawei.
He added that his work experience in the firm made him understand organisational structure.
Recall that in early March 2024, Bello said the nation had lost an effective administrator in his father after the Senate rejected his nomination as minister.
He said it took his pleas and those of other family members for his father to accept the ministerial nomination from President Bola Tinubu.
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