Bashir El-Rufai, son of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, has responded to renewed discussions surrounding the controversial arrest of his father by security agencies during the 2013 governorship election in Anambra State.
The debate resurfaced after human rights advocate and political commentator, Aisha Yesufu, clarified the circumstances of the incident during a live interview on Channels Television's Sunrise Daily program, broadcast on Monday, July 21, 2025.
In her comments, Yesufu firmly stated that the former governor was taken into custody by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and that the arrest had no connection whatsoever with Peter Obi, who was then serving as the Governor of Anambra State.
Her clarification came in response to recent remarks made by the Edo State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Paul Ohonbamu. Ohonbamu had cited the 2013 arrest as part of a political warning issued by Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo, advising Peter Obi to stay away from Edo State's internal affairs.
Addressing what she described as a false narrative, Yesufu emphasized that Obi had no involvement in the arrest, adding that such claims were not only misleading but also an attempt to rewrite history. “There was no directive from Peter Obi regarding the arrest,” she said. “It was strictly the decision of security agencies, based on their own intelligence.”
Despite this clarification, Bashir El-Rufai took to social media to present a different view. Responding to a post referencing the incident, he claimed that Peter Obi had, in fact, been responsible for his father’s arrest but stated that the matter had since been forgiven.
“He did & he is forgiven,” Bashir wrote in a brief but loaded comment, reigniting the controversy.
The original incident occurred in November 2013, during the Anambra State gubernatorial election. Nasir El-Rufai, then a prominent figure within the All Progressives Congress (APC), had traveled to Anambra to monitor the conduct of the election as an observer. However, shortly after his arrival, DSS officials detained him at his hotel in Awka, the state capital.
According to the DSS at the time, El-Rufai's arrest was prompted by what they described as “security concerns” given the tense atmosphere surrounding the polls. The agency defended its actions as preventive rather than punitive.
El-Rufai, however, disputed this justification, accusing the DSS of acting beyond its mandate and alleging that his detention was politically motivated.
The latest exchange reflects the deeply polarizing nature of Nigeria’s political history, where past events are often revisited and weaponized in contemporary debates. While Aisha Yesufu’s clarification sought to prevent the spread of disinformation, Bashir El-Rufai’s comment suggests lingering grievances that still color interpretations of the incident more than a decade later.
As political tensions rise ahead of future elections, observers warn that historical distortions could further stoke division if not carefully addressed with facts and accountability.
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