Mohammed El-Rufai, eldest son of the former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has said he backs the probe of his father’s administration by the Kaduna State Government, provided it is done with clear, unbiased intent.
In an interview with the BBC Hausa Service on Saturday, Mohammed stressed that while accountability is crucial, any probe must focus on uncovering facts rather than settling personal scores.
The lawmaker representing Kaduna North Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, however, urged that investigations not be used as a political weapon.
“If done for selfish reasons, such inquiries only harm progress,” he said.
Speaking further, Mohammed stated reconciling his father and his successor, Governor Uba Sani, is not his responsibility, saying that the rift between the two is being exaggerated in the media.
Mohammed, however, stated that he was not happy with the ”cold war’ between his father and the governor, considering the role both played in his life.
Emphasising his commitment to serving his constituents, Mohammed stated that his priority is effective governance in his constituency and not mediating in the ongoing rift.
He said, “Some people are delighted, seeing my father and the Governor enmeshed in a conflict, just like the legendary Bollywood actors, Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra fighting.”
Nasir El-Rufai was the former D-G of the Bureau for Public Enterprises under the administration of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and later became the Federal Capital Territory Minister in his second term where he famously accused the then Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu of demanding for a bribe before he could be screened.
He later became the Governor of Kaduna State between 2015 and 2023 after defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC). His tenure was characterized by alleged ethnic cleansing of the Christians in Southern Kaduna and a flurry of corruption allegations that were levelled against him running into billions of naira.
