In a significant political development ahead of the 2027 general elections, five members of the House of Representatives have defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
The defections were formally announced by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, during plenary session on Thursday.
Among the defectors is Hon. Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, son of former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, who represents Kaduna North Federal Constituency. Hon. El-Rufai moved from the APC to the NDC.
The other defectors include: Hon. Joshua Obika (Abaji/Gwagwalada/Kuje/Kwali Federal Constituency, FCT), who defected from the APC to the NDC. This marks his third party switch since the inauguration of the 10th Assembly. He was initially elected on the Labour Party platform before joining the APC earlier in 2026.
Hon. Abdulhakeem Kamilu (Wudil/Garko Federal Constituency, Kano State), who moved from the ADC to the NDC, citing unresolved leadership issues in his former party. He was previously with the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) before joining the ADC.
Hon. Suleiman Richifa and Hon. Umar Ajilo, both from Kaduna State, who defected from the PDP to the ADC, attributing their move to the lingering crises within the PDP at state and national levels.
These latest shifts come amid growing political realignments in the National Assembly, with opposition parties intensifying efforts to build coalitions capable of challenging the ruling APC in the 2027 polls. The moves further alter the composition of the House and signal potential for more defections in the coming months.
Political observers view Hon. Mohammed Bello El-Rufai’s defection as particularly noteworthy, coming amid reported tensions between his father and the APC leadership.
The affected lawmakers have expressed their commitment to continue effective representation of their constituents under their new political platforms.