Bello El-Rufai, a member of the House of Representatives and son of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, has publicly admitted that he was naive in his past criticisms of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Speaking on a special edition of Channels Television on Thursday, Bello revealed that his perspective changed when he saw his father, Nasir El-Rufai, seeking an audience with the former president for political consultations.

The younger El-Rufai said the moment prompted deep reflection on his past views, stating, "I told my father that when he sees Jonathan, he should please tell him I’m very sorry, that I’m wiser now."

He admitted that his earlier harsh opinions about Jonathan were made without fully understanding the complexities of leadership and governance, adding that maturity and experience have reshaped his outlook on political affairs.

Bello El-Rufai was elected to the House of Representatives in 2023, where he represents Kaduna North Federal Constituency.

He said, “I visited my father after I became a member and I saw him wearing a polo shirt and I said ‘where are you going?’ 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 criticising 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.’”

“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," he added.

Acknowledging progress in electoral reforms, the All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker stated that if the rumoured amendment allowing citizens to vote without a voter card proves true, he would oppose it.

He affirmed his support for strengthening electoral reforms, particularly the electronic transmission of election results.