El-Rufai’s Son, Four Lawmakers Defect as Opposition Realignments Shake Reps Ahead of 2027
Fresh defections rocked Nigeria’s House of Representatives on Thursday as five lawmakers dumped the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC), deepening ongoing political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Among the prominent defectors was Muhammed El-Rufai, son of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai. The Kaduna North representative formally announced his defection from the APC to the NDC during plenary presided over by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.
Political observers have described the younger El-Rufai’s exit from the APC as a major indication of the widening rift between his father and the ruling party. In recent months, Nasir El-Rufai, once considered a close ally of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has repeatedly criticised the APC leadership, accusing the party of abandoning internal democracy and marginalising loyal stakeholders.
Also joining the NDC was Joshua Obika, who defected from the APC. Obika’s latest move marked his third political switch since the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly. He was initially elected on the platform of the Labour Party in 2023 before crossing over to the APC in March 2026.
Similarly, Abdulhakeem Kamilu defected from the ADC to the NDC, citing unresolved leadership challenges within the party. Kamilu was originally elected into the House on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party before his earlier movement to the ADC.
In another development, two lawmakers from Kaduna State — Suleiman Richifa and Umar Ajilo — dumped the PDP for the ADC. The lawmakers attributed their decision to the lingering internal crisis rocking the PDP at both state and national levels.
The latest wave of defections came barely days after reports emerged that about 17 lawmakers had aligned with the NDC, highlighting growing efforts by opposition politicians to build a formidable coalition capable of challenging the APC in the 2027 elections.
The defections have further reshaped the political composition of the House of Representatives and intensified speculations that more lawmakers may switch allegiance in the coming months as consultations and coalition talks continue ahead of the next electoral cycle.
Source: Adapted from Thursday’s edition of The Punch by Inside Agwa News.
