Bello El-Rufai, the House of Representative member representing Kaduna North Federal Constituency, has apologized to Goodluck Jonathan, stating that he was naive when he criticized the former President during his administration.
The Kaduna lawmaker, who is a son of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, admitted that he failed to realize that Nigeria had good governance under Jonathan.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday evening, June 12, Bello said he is wiser now.
Bello said he realized he had been wrong when he saw his father preparing to visit Jonathan for political consultation.
He recalled paying his father a visit and noticed that he was going out. He asked where he was going.
Bello said: “And he said he was going to see President Jonathan, and I paused because when I was naive or when I thought ego or gratification mattered, I used to be very active in criticizing President Jonathan.
“I even forgot in my naivety as many young people do, that we had governance then and I found my father saying that he is going to consult President Jonathan. I said, ‘please when you see him, tell him I am very sorry, I am wiser now’.
“The system is a problem. Now, why did I mention President Jonathan? It takes a lot, particularly in Africa, to lose an election and leave, he did that.”
Nasir El-Rufai initially had a good relationship with Jonathan and even urged him to contest the 2011 presidential election.
However, their relationship went sour and the El-Rufai family heavily criticised Jonathan’s administration after Namadi Sambo emerged as his Vice President.
Watch the interview below.
