Five lawmakers dump APC, PDP for NDC and ADC ahead of 2027 elections

Fresh defections have hit the House of Representatives as five lawmakers left the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to join the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Among those who defected is Mohammed El-Rufai, the son of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai and the representative for Kaduna North Federal Constituency.

He officially transitioned from the APC to the NDC during a plenary session on Thursday, a move political analysts suggest further indicates the deepening divide between the El-Rufai political faction and the ruling party. Speaker Tajudeen Abbas read the defection letters in the chamber.

Mohammed El-Rufai’s departure follows months of speculation about his political prospects, particularly after his father repeatedly criticized President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

The former governor of Kaduna, once seen as a formidable Tinubu ally within the APC, has recently accused the ruling party of neglecting internal democracy and marginalizing loyal stakeholders.

Additionally, Joshua Obika, representing the Abaji/Gwagwalada/Kuje/Kwali Federal Constituency of the FCT, has also joined the NDC.

His defection from the APC to the NDC marks his third political shift since the 10th Assembly began: he was initially elected under the Labour Party in 2023 before switching to the APC in March 2026.

Likewise, Abdulhakeem Kamilu, representing the Wudil/Garko Federal Constituency of Kano State, has left the ADC for the NDC, citing ongoing leadership conflicts within the party.

He was elected to the House on the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) platform before previously defecting to the ADC. In another update, two lawmakers from Kaduna have also defected.

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled:  Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

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