Bello El-Rufai, the lawmaker representing Kaduna North in the House of Representatives, has led four other colleagues in a high-profile exit from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Among the defectors was the son of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, Muhammed El-Rufai, who represents Kaduna North Federal Constituency.
The younger El-Rufai defected from the APC to the NDC, a move seen by political observers as a major signal of the widening crack between his father and the ruling party.
Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, read the lawmakers’ letters of defection during plenary on Thursday.
Muhammed El-Rufai’s exit came months after speculations over his political future following the increasing criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration by his father, Nasir El-Rufai.
The former governor, once a key ally of Tinubu and a prominent APC figure, has in recent months openly accused the ruling party of abandoning internal democracy and sidelining loyal stakeholders.
Also joining the NDC was Joshua Obika, representing Abaji/Gwagwalada/Kuje/Kwali Federal Constituency of the Federal Capital Territory.
Obika defected from the APC to the NDC, marking his third political movement since the inauguration of the 10th Assembly.
He was elected on the platform of the Labour Party in 2023 before moving to the APC in March 2026.
Similarly, Abdulhakeem Kamilu, representing Wudil/Garko Federal Constituency of Kano State, dumped the ADC for the NDC, citing what he described as unresolved leadership issues within the party.
Kamilu was elected into the House on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party before defecting to the ADC earlier this year.
In another development, two lawmakers from Kaduna State, Suleiman Richifa and Umar Ajilo, defected from the PDP to the ADC.
The lawmakers attributed their decision to the lingering crisis within the PDP at both the state and national levels.
The latest defections came barely days after 17 lawmakers reportedly aligned with the NDC, underscoring growing efforts by opposition politicians to build a coalition capable of challenging the APC in the 2027 elections.
