Hon. Muhammad Bello El-Rufai, the eldest son of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai and the House of Representatives member for Kaduna North, has distanced himself from the ongoing rift between his father and the incumbent governor, Senator Uba Sani.
In an interview with BBC Hausa, Bello stated that while he holds both men in high regard—his father as his role model and Sani as his former boss—it is not his responsibility to reconcile them. Instead, his primary focus remains providing quality representation for the people of Kaduna North Constituency.
The dispute between El-Rufai and Governor Uba Sani has intensified, particularly after Governor Sani alleged that Kaduna State was left with a massive debt burden by his predecessor. He claimed that the state could barely pay workers’ salaries due to financial strain.
The Kaduna State House of Assembly subsequently launched an investigation into the N423 billion debt, leading to court cases and arrests of some former officials of the El-Rufai administration. One ex-official was reportedly hospitalized due to the shock of being detained by an anti-graft agency, while a former female commissioner allegedly went into hiding.
El-Rufai has since denied all allegations, taking legal action to challenge the claims.
Speaking on the situation, Bello El-Rufai expressed disappointment over the conflict between his father and Governor Sani.
“Even if a person is my enemy, I don’t want to see them fighting with another enemy of mine. I want peace,” he said.
He likened the situation to marriages and friendships that sometimes fall apart, emphasizing that relationships should not be discarded completely over disagreements.
When asked whether he would step in to reconcile the two political figures, Bello firmly stated:
“By Almighty Allah, it is not my work. My work is to focus on helping the people of Kaduna North Constituency.”
However, he expressed a desire for harmony, saying:
“I like peace and keeping trust. If someone has an issue with me, we will settle it privately. That is who I am.”
Bello also addressed speculation regarding his father’s potential presidential ambitions, stating that he had never discussed such plans with him, even when they were together in the United States.
Despite the ongoing tensions, Bello maintained his admiration for both men, describing El-Rufai as the best political strategist he knows and affirming that Governor Sani remains someone he respects.
