Bello El-Rufai, a member of the House of Representatives representing Kaduna North, has publicly expressed regret for his past criticism of former President Goodluck Jonathan, admitting that he was naive at the time.
The Kaduna lawmaker noted that he failed to realise that Nigeria had a good governance under Jonathan due to his naivety.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, Bello, son of former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, said he has since gained a deeper understanding of governance and now recognises the value of Jonathan’s leadership.
Bello said his naivety came to the fore when he saw his father preparing to visit Jonathan for political consultation.
READ ALSO: El-Rufai to pay ₦900m in damages for unlawful detention of Adara elders
He recalled paying his father a visit and noticed that he was going out. He asked where he was going.
He recounted a moment of personal reflection when he learned that his father was going to visit Jonathan for political consultation.
“I said, ‘please, when you see him, tell him I am very sorry, I am wiser now’,” Bello told his father.
He also praised Jonathan’s democratic credentials, saying, “It takes a lot, particularly in Africa, to lose an election and leave. He did that.”
El-Rufai initially had a good relationship with Jonathan and he even urged him to contest the 2011 presidential election.
READ ALSO: Atiku, El-Rufai, Tambuwal led delegation to Buhari’s Kaduna residence
Reports said after Namadi Sambo’s emergence as Vice President, El-Rufai and his family members heavily criticized Jonathan’s administration.
