By Sodiq Adelakun
Fresh political defections have hit the House of Representatives as five lawmakers dumped their parties for the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Among the defectors is Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, son of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, who officially left the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the NDC during Thursday’s plenary session.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, read the lawmakers’ letters of defection on the floor of the chamber.
Mohammed El-Rufai’s exit comes amid growing tensions between the El-Rufai political camp and the APC leadership following sustained criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration by the former Kaduna governor.
Also joining the NDC is Joshua Obika, who represents Abaji/Gwagwalada/Kuje/Kwali Federal Constituency in the Federal Capital Territory.
Obika defected from the APC to the NDC, marking his third political switch since the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly. He was initially elected on the Labour Party platform in 2023 before joining the APC in March 2026.
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Similarly, Abdulhakeem Kamilu defected from the ADC to the NDC, citing unresolved leadership disputes within the party.
Kamilu was first elected into the House on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) before moving to the ADC.
The latest defections further highlight the growing political realignments and shifting alliances ahead of the 2027 elections, with several parties battling internal crises and leadership disagreements.
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