Atiku, Peter Obi, Amaechi, Kwankwaso have been asking me about El-Rufai – Son reveals
A member of the House of Representatives from Kaduna North, Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, who serves as the Chairman of the Committee on Banking Regulations, reported that several presidential candidates have reached out to inquire about his father, former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, who is currently in detention.
El-Rufai noted that both Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) have contacted him, along with their running mates, Rotimi Amaechi and Rabiu Kwankwaso.
Nasir El-Rufai was arrested on February 18, 2026, by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) as part of an investigation into allegations of fraud during his tenure as governor. Since then, he has faced multiple court appearances.
El-Rufai was charged with money laundering on March 24 and was later intercepted by the Department of State Services (DSS) on April 1. Additional charges related to rail and CCTV contracts were brought by the ICPC in mid-April, culminating in a formal arraignment by the DSS in Abuja on April 23 concerning alleged communication interception.
In May, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja granted him bail set at N100 million, requiring one surety. This ruling was connected to a case filed by the DSS regarding an alleged national security breach involving unauthorized access to a phone conversation with National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu. In June, Justice Abdulmalik declined to modify the bail conditions associated with the DSS wiretapping case.
Bello El-Rufai commented that Obi’s calls were a significant lesson for him, given his previous criticisms of the former governor of Anambra State. In a video statement, he expressed gratitude to those who reached out, especially Obi, stating, “He always called me to ask about my dad. For me, at 38, it’s a lesson in life.” He added that the period has provided time for his father to reflect, read, and plan for the future.
