‘Peter Obi Always Calling To Ask About My Dad Is Life Lesson For Me’ – El-Rufai’s Son, Bello

A member of the House of Representatives from Kaduna North, Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, has said the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has given him life lessons.

Naija News reports that Bello, in a video shared online, said the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, his running mate, Rotimi Amaechi, Peter Obi, and the NDC vice-presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, often call to ask about his father, Nasir El-Rufai, who is currently in detention.

Bello, the Chairman of the Committee on Banking Regulations, said Peter Obi’s calls were a lesson to him because he had strongly criticised him in the past.

He said: “Politicians like Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Mr Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, Kwankwaso, Rabiu Kwankwaso, and others called me to ask about my dad.

“I would like to thank them, particularly Mr Peter Obi. He always called me to ask about my dad. And for me, at 38, it’s a lesson in life because, in the case of Obi, I used to be critical of him.

“And for Malam, he is using the time to finish books, catch up, read the Quran, so it’s also a moment for him in isolation to reflect, plan better, and tone down on things like that.”

Recall that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) arrested El-Rufai on February 18, 2026, following investigations into alleged fraud during his tenure as governor.

From March to April 2026, the former governor faced multiple arraignments across different courts.

He was arraigned on a 10-count money laundering charge by the ICPC on March 24, intercepted by the Department of State Services (DSS) on April 1, faced additional ICPC charges over rail and CCTV contracts in mid-April, and was formally arraigned by the DSS in Abuja on April 23 over alleged communication interception.

In May, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja granted El-Rufai bail in the sum of N100 million and one surety.

The judge delivered the ruling in a case filed by the DSS regarding an alleged national security breach and unauthorised access to a telephone conversation involving the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu.

In June, Justice Abdulmalik refused to vary the stringent bail conditions in the DSS wiretapping case.