Bello El-Rufai, a member of the House of Representatives and son of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has publicly apologised to former President Goodluck Jonathan, admitting that his past criticism of the ex-leader was borne out of naivety.
El-Rufai made the surprising confession during an appearance on Politics Today, a current affairs programme on Channels Television, on Thursday night.
Reflecting on his earlier views, the Kaduna lawmaker acknowledged that he had failed to appreciate the governance strides under Jonathan’s administration while he (Jonathan) held sway as Nigeria’s president from 2010 to 2015.
He recounted a recent encounter that prompted a personal moment of reflection. “There was a time I paid my father a visit and noticed that he was heading out. I asked where he was going, and he said he was going to see President Jonathan,” Bello said.
The lawmaker continued: “I paused because, when I was naive or when I thought ego or gratification mattered, I used to be very active in criticising President Jonathan. I even forgot, in my naivety—as many young people do—that we had governance then.”
El-Rufai said it was during this moment that he urged his father to extend an apology on his behalf. “I told him, ‘Please, when you see him, tell him I am very sorry. I am wiser now.’”
He praised Jonathan for the statesmanship he displayed during and after the 2015 general elections. “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,” El-Rufai said.
Jonathan remains widely commended for conceding defeat to then-candidate Muhammadu Buhari, a gesture that helped stabilize the nation’s democracy at a critical moment in its history.
Bello El-Rufai’s remarks come at a time when younger politicians are increasingly re-evaluating past political narratives and the legacies of former leaders, especially in light of Nigeria’s current governance challenges.