By Jude Opara
Bashir El-Rufai, son of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, has declared that he will not forgive the All Progressives Congress (APC) over what he described as the party’s treatment of his family during its “weakest” moment.
Bashir said he would pursue political power with the stated aim of retaliating against individuals within the APC whom he accused of turning against his family.
In a post on X, he said his position would remain unchanged even if his father emerged from his current ordeal and chose to forgive those he believed had wronged him.
“Even if my father emerges from his ordeal like Gandhi and forgives and forgets, I won’t,” Bashir wrote.
He added that he would seek political influence “for the sole reason” of confronting those he accused of attacking his family, declaring that political affiliations would not determine who he considered a target.
“Friend or foe, it won’t matter,” he said, while making an exception for Mahmud Ribadu, whom he identified as his biological brother.
The comments come amid an increasingly public family and political dispute involving Bashir and his elder brother, Bello El-Rufai, a member of the House of Representatives.
Bashir recently launched a series of attacks against Bello over their political differences, further exposing tensions within the family as the political relationship between their father and Governor Uba Sani continues to deteriorate.
The former governor’s relationship with the APC has also become increasingly strained amid the wider political fallout following his departure from Kaduna State politics and subsequent legal troubles.
El-Rufai has spent about 200 days in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over alleged corruption linked to his tenure as Kaduna governor. The allegations remain subject to legal proceedings.
Bashir’s latest remarks indicate that the political consequences of the dispute may extend beyond the immediate legal and political battles, as he signals an intention to remain opposed to the APC and seek political power with the stated objective of settling scores with those he believes targeted his family.
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