El-Rufai’s Son Breaks Ranks with Father, Backs Tinubu for 2027 Re-Election

In a surprising show of political independence, Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, the son of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, has publicly endorsed Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term—despite his father’s recent defection to the opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP).

The younger El-Rufai, currently serving in Nigeria’s House of Representatives for Kaduna North, made his declaration at the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Summit in Abuja, where President Tinubu was formally named the party’s sole candidate for the 2027 presidential race.

His support signals a significant departure from his father’s current political direction and underscores the shifting dynamics within Nigeria’s ruling elite as the nation edges closer to another general election.