News
I wasn’t involved in contracts during my father’s administration – El-Rufai’s son
- /home/naijuinz/public_html/wp-content/plugins/mvp-social-buttons/mvp-social-buttons.php on line 27
https://naijablitznews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/images-51-1.jpeg&description=I wasn’t involved in contracts during my father’s administration – El-Rufai’s son', 'pinterestShare', 'width=750,height=350'); return false;" title="Pin This Post">
- Share
- Tweet /home/naijuinz/public_html/wp-content/plugins/mvp-social-buttons/mvp-social-buttons.php on line 72
https://naijablitznews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/images-51-1.jpeg&description=I wasn’t involved in contracts during my father’s administration – El-Rufai’s son', 'pinterestShare', 'width=750,height=350'); return false;" title="Pin This Post">
By Francesca Hangeior.
The member of the House of Representatives representing Kaduna North Federal Constituency, Bello El-Rufai, has said that he was not involved in the award of contracts during the tenure of his father, Nasir El-Rufai, as the governor of Kaduna State.
Bello stated this in an interview hosted by Yaya Abba, titled, ‘With Shuraim.’
The video of the interview was sighted by PUNCH Online on Tuesday.
The former governor served as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory from 2003 to 2007 under the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Afterwards, he served as a two-term governor of Kaduna State from 2016 to 2023.
He was recently accused of leaving a huge debt for his successor, Uba Sani, to the tune of $587 million, N85 billion, and N115 billion in contract liabilities.
Sani noted that the state is now left with few amounts not enough to pay salary.
However, Bello said, “I think he (Nasir) is an exceptional mind and the sort of leader that Nigeria really needs; there are many like him.
“When he became governor, we campaigned for him seriously. We knew the wave was coming, we knew there was a merger. We knew Buhari could win this time especially the alliance that happened with the Southwest.”
Bello, the Chairman House Committee on Banking Regulations, noted that at the time, “some of us were just learning the process. But immediately he became governor, he sent me, as I say, on exile. Unlike the children of the governors back then, I didn’t really stay in Kaduna doing contracts. ”
While stating that he now understands the reason behind his father’s decision to send him away from the political scene, Bello noted, “What happens to the man in power is that if they can’t get to him, they’ll get to the wives or children,” adding that it was “natural for contractors in Kaduna to think if they come through you, they’ll gain favour.
“He (the father) just took me out of that equation and it really helped.”
The lawmaker said that during the first four years of his father’s administration in Kaduna, he worked in the Enterprise Business Unit of the technology firm, Huawei, adding that his work experience in the firm made him understand organisational structure.
This isn’t the first time Bello will speak of his father’s administrative and leadership prowess.
In early March 2024, Bello said the nation had lost an effective administrator in his father after the Senate rejected his nomination as minister.
Bello said it took his pleas and those of other family members for his father to accept the ministerial nomination from President Bola Tinubu.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Inter-Parliamentary Affairs, Senator Aliyu Wadada has promised to revive the committee’s activities after acknowledging concerns over its prolonged inactivity.
Wadada spoke on Thursday at the end of the committee’s meeting in Abuja.
Specifically, the chairman admitted that the committee had been underutilised, noting that it had met only once in the last three years.
He, however, said issues responsible for the situation had been identified during a closed-door session and would be addressed.
“Of course I feel concerned about it, but when we got into the details in a closed-door meeting, we got to know where the problems are, and they will all be taken care of. The committee will be as active as it should always be,” he said.
Commenting further, the chairman said the committee would focus on its core mandate of promoting and strengthening legislative relations between Nigeria’s National Assembly and parliamentary bodies across the world.
According to him, the committee will deepen engagement with regional and international legislative institutions, including the ECOWAS Parliament, the Pan-African Parliament, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), and other parliamentary organisations.
He disclosed that a new work plan had already been developed to guide the committee’s activities.
He added: “The direction is basically around the responsibilities of the committee, which is to promote and deepen legislative relationship within Nigeria and with other legislative bodies around the world”.
The chairman added that the committee’s first major activity would be a courtesy visit to the Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament in Nigeria as part of efforts to strengthen inter-parliamentary cooperation.
SINL NIgeria Online reports that Senator Wadada assured that the public would be kept informed of the committee’s activities as the new work plan is implemented.
The Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, has revealed that the minimum monthly salary of Nigerian soldiers has increased to N100,000 after the Federal Government reviewed their welfare package.
Musa made the disclosure during an interview with News Central ahead of his appearance on the NC Exclusive programme.
He said the adjustment was part of efforts by the government to improve the living conditions of military personnel.
Executive Branch
The former Chief of Defence Staff, however, said the country’s defence sector still requires more funding despite the improvement in soldiers’ earnings and welfare.
He stated that the current defence budget remains inadequate, adding that more resources are needed to effectively support the armed forces and their operations.
Musa explained that soldiers who previously earned about N49,000 monthly now receive at least N100,000 following the salary review carried out by the government.
The minister also called for tougher punishment for kidnappers, saying stronger measures are needed to reduce the increasing cases of abduction across Nigeria.
Remodelled Abuja City Gate To Be Commissioned Today, Thursday, July 9
#ProjectsFCT2026
#FCT31DaysCommissioning
Senator Wadada promises to deepen legislative ties, stop inactivity
Just in: FG jerks up salaries soldiers to N100k monthly
DAY 22 of Projects Commissioning in the FCT
-
News20 hours ago‘Serial liar’, Presidency debunks Obi’s death threat claim
-
News19 hours agoSenate approves customs’ N11.07tn 2026 revenue target
-
News19 hours agoDefence minister orders troops to shoot bandits on sight
-
News19 hours agoEFCC Arraigns Ex-Port Harcourt Refinery MD over Money-laundering Allegations
-
News19 hours agoInsecurity: NGF inaugurates Northern Nigerian Security Trust Fund
-
News19 hours agoNSCDC deploys 1,300 personnel for Edo LG poll
-
Economy20 hours ago2024 Bid Round: NUPRC hands oil prospecting licences to 12 firms
-
News19 hours agoGroup Urges FG To Probe Alleged Threats To Peter Obi’s Life
Warning: Undefined variable $user_ID in /home/naijuinz/public_html/wp-content/themes/zox-news/comments.php on line 49
You must be logged in to post a comment Login