Bello El-Rufai, a member of the House of Representatives representing Kaduna North Federal Constituency, has publicly apologised to former President Goodluck Jonathan, admitting he was naive in his past criticisms of the ex-leader.
Bello, son of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, made the remarks during an interview on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, aired Thursday evening.
Reflecting on his earlier stance, the lawmaker said his youthful inexperience blinded him to the quality of governance under Jonathan’s administration. “I used to be very critical of President Jonathan. In my naivety, like many young people, I failed to realise that we actually had governance at the time,” he said.
He recounted a recent moment that sparked his change in perspective. “I visited my father and noticed he was heading out. When I asked where he was going, he said he was going to see President Jonathan. That moment made me pause,” Bello said.
“I told him, ‘When you see him, please tell him I’m very sorry. I am wiser now.’ It takes a lot, especially in Africa, to lose an election and peacefully hand over power. President Jonathan did that, and it’s something I now respect deeply.”
Bello also acknowledged that the challenges facing Nigeria are more systemic than personal, adding, “The system is the problem.”
Although Nasir El-Rufai once had a cordial relationship with Jonathan—reportedly even urging him to contest the 2011 election—tensions later escalated, particularly after Namadi Sambo was appointed Vice President. This development reportedly marked the beginning of strong criticisms directed at Jonathan from members of the El-Rufai family.
