The son of former FCT Minister and former Governor of Kaduna State and member representing Kaduna Northern Federal Constitutency in the House of Representatives, Bello El-Rufai, has publicly apologized to former President Goodluck Jonathan
The lawmaker apologized following his past criticisms of his Jonathan’s administration, between 2009 and 2015.
This is as he acknowledged that his previous views were shaped by youthful inexperience.
El-Rufai made the apology during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday.
The lawmaker stated that he had come to a new understanding of Jonathan’s leadership after observing his father’s recent efforts to consult with the former President.
He 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’,” he added.
EL-Rufai praised Jonathan for conceding defeat in the 2015 presidential election. A feat, he described as a rare act of statesmanship in African politics.
“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 noted.
Recall that Nasir El-Rufai, a former Minister and prominent member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), played a major role in the defeat of Jonathan in 2015.
He was a key figure in the political coalition that gave birth to the All Progressives Party, APC.
The presidential candidate of the party, Mohammadu Buhari defeated Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in a landmark victory.