Hajiya Umma El-Rufai, the mother of detained Nigeria’s major opposition figure Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has died.
Her grandson, Hon. Bello El-Rufai, confirmed that she passed away on Friday afternoon.
He wrote in a Facebook post, “Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un. I would like to inform the public of the demise of my Grandmother, Hajiya Umma El-Rufai who passed away a few hours ago. She is the biological mother of our father, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai. We are grateful for the life she lived and may Allah SWT bless her gentle soul. On behalf of our family, we seek your prayers.”
Her death comes as her son El-Rufai remains in custody following his arraignment by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission on a 10-count charge bordering on alleged conversion of public property and money laundering.
The former Kaduna State governor however says he is being political persécuted by his former political ally President Bola Tinubu.
El-Rufai is a founding member of the ADC coalition, working to defeat Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
He had played a major role in the election of Tinubu as president in 2023, despite stiff opposition from within the ruling All Progressives Congress, which was El-Rufai’s former party.
Both men later fell apart.
Meanwhile, he pleaded not guilty to all charges.
A Federal High Court in Kaduna, presided over by Justice Rilwanu Aikawa, had adjourned the hearing of his bail application to March 31, after listening to arguments from both the defence and prosecution teams.
cpcnews.org 