Bello El-Rufai, a member of the Nigerian House of Representatives, has been caught in a controversy after it was revealed that he received a luxury vehicle from the National Assembly, despite previously denying the claim.
In an earlier media interview, El-Rufai asserted that he had declined one of the Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) distributed to lawmakers at the beginning of the 10th Assembly, presenting himself as a public servant prioritizing the people’s welfare.
El-Rufai also suggested that some of his colleagues had similarly refused the vehicles. However, recent evidence has surfaced, showing that El-Rufai did, in fact, accept one of the luxurious vehicles, contradicting his earlier statement and casting doubt on his integrity.
Bello, the son of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, represents Kaduna North Federal Constituency and chairs the House Committee on Banking Regulations.
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During a podcast interview in March 2024, Bello El-Rufai remarked, “Abraham Bello is in PDP, a brilliant young man… and none of us took those SUVs. With the kind of insults we ‘chop’ (received), why should I take the SUV? If I say this now, what will people think? You just said I am a son of the privileged; I have had an SUV since I started working.”
When questioned about the funds, he responded, “That’s the question. If you receive the funds, what did you intend to do with them? But everyone behaved as if some of us didn’t have cars.”
However, a document obtained by SaharaReporters on Thursday reveals that Bello El-Rufai’s public denial was intentionally misleading.
The document, dated October 31, 2023, confirms that Bello El-Rufai did indeed receive a Toyota Land Cruiser Prado from the National Assembly’s transport division, House of Representatives. The vehicle’s details include a Chassis Number TTEBX3FJ401C349213, grey in color, and accompanied by two keys.
This evidence directly contradicts El-Rufai’s earlier statements, revealing his dishonesty.
In March, SaharaReporters uncovered a controversy surrounding Bello El-Rufai’s denial of receiving an official SUV, based on a leaked internal memo from the Nigerian House of Representatives.
The memo, addressed to House members, refuted El-Rufai’s claims and confirmed that all members had indeed received their allocated vehicles. Written by Hon. Philip Agbese, the Deputy Spokesperson for the House, the memo was leaked to SaharaReporters, exposing the gap between El-Rufai’s public statements and the actual facts.
The memo had read: “Our attention has been drawn to a trending video excerpt from an interview, wherein one of our distinguished colleagues, Hon. Bello El-Rufai, claimed that some members, including himself, rejected their operational vehicles allocated to them.
“It has become necessary to state that, this is totally false and inaccurate. From our checks with the House Committee on House Services, every member of the 10th House of Representatives has received their vehicle.
“The House, therefore, cautions Hon. El-Rufai to desist from further misinforming the public or attempting to set his colleagues up for public ridicule.
“As a House, we are advised not to grandstand or pontificate on contentious matters in a way that would bring the image of the parliament to disrepute.
“Hence, the need for caution in public discourse, especially now that the 10th House of Representatives is earning the trust of Nigerians.
“We take this opportunity to clarify that all Honourable Members have had their vehicles duly allocated to them. These vehicles remain the property of the House of Representatives and are to aid Honourable Members in the discharge of their duties.
“We also wish to remind all Honourable Members that while you have the liberty to engage with the media and the public as you see fit, it is in the best interests of the House and all members to avoid causing disaffection and raising controversial matters.
“Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
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