Bello El-Rufai, member of the House of Representatives and son of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, has expressed appreciation to Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi for consistently checking on his family following his father’s ongoing detention.
The elder El-Rufai has been held by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) since 18th February 2026 as part of an active probe, drawing criticism from opposition figures who have called for his release and raised questions surrounding his prolonged custody.
Speaking during an interview with Ibrahim Ismaila Ahmed uploaded on Monday, the federal lawmaker admitted that Obi’s repeated telephone calls provided a profound personal lesson, acknowledging that he had previously been a vocal critic of the former Anambra State governor.
“Particularly Governor Peter Obi, you know, he kept calling, you know, like he would just call me just to see how… You know, and for me at 38 years old, it’s a lesson in life,” Bello said, adding that “in the case of Governor Peter Obi, I used to be critical of him, but, you know… You know, so it’s a lesson.”
Obi had previously spoken out against the detention of the former governor, characterising the situation as political persecution.
Reflecting on how his father is coping while in custody, the lawmaker explained that the former governor has dedicated the period of isolation to reading, studying the Quran, and reviewing his decade of public service. He described the detention as a moment for his father “to reflect, to plan better, to tone down, and things like that.”
The younger El-Rufai also acknowledged several prominent political figures who extended support to his family during the ordeal, expressing gratitude to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, President Bola Tinubu, and former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso alongside Obi