Politics Over Bloodline: Atiku, Mark, El-Rufai’s Kids Abandon Parents’ Political Parties

As the race for 2027 gathers momentum, JAMES KWEN writes on how children of prominent politicians are abandoning their parents’ favoured political parties for political choices of their own.

It is often said that “blood is thicker than water,” implying that family bonds, relationships, and loyalties are stronger and more important than those with friends or acquaintances.

However, this supposition or assumption appeared to have been proven otherwise in Nigerian political cycles, as members of one family often belonged to different political parties, pursuing different agendas.

Instances abound in recent Nigerian political history where parents and children, as well as siblings, belong to different political parties working for their individual political interests.

Notable examples include:

The Atikus: Son parted ways with his ambitious father

Atiku Abubakar, a former Nigerian Vice President and two-time presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), recently defected to the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC).

While it is believed that Atiku is interested in clinching the ADC presidential ticket, his son, Abba Abubakar, recently joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) with a solemn pledge to work for the re-election of President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

“My name is Abubakar Atiku Abubakar, but everyone calls me Abba. I am here today to formally announce my exit from the former party where we worked in 2023 and my decision to join the APC.

“Today, I’m here to formally announce my exit from my former party to the APC following the outstanding leadership style and quality of His Excellency, the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I Jibrin.

“With this development, I will work with Senator Barau to actualise the second term bid of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu come 2027. To this effect, I’m directing all coordinators of my association to join APC and work for President Tinubu,” he said.

Atiku, in his reaction, said his son, Abba, had made a personal choice to join the APC and that it was not cause for alarm.

In a statement issued via X, Atiku said political choices made by family members were normal in a democracy and insisted he did not interfere with his children’s or Nigerians’ consciences.

“The decision of my son, Abba Abubakar, to join the APC is entirely personal. In a democracy, such choices are neither unusual nor alarming, even when family and politics intersect.

“As a democrat, I do not coerce my own children in matters of conscience, and I certainly will not coerce Nigerians.

“What truly concerns me is the poor governance of the APC and the severe economic and social hardships it has imposed on our people. I remain resolute in working with like-minded patriots to restore good governance and offer Nigerians a credible alternative that brings relief, hope, and progress,” he said.

The Marks: Marking their marks via different political parties

David Mark, a former Nigerian President of the Senate, had been a member of the PDP from 1999 to the third quarter of last year, 2025, when he moved to the ADC and became its National Chairman.

However, his daughter, Blessing Onuh, first won the Otukpo/Ohimini House of Representatives seat from Benue state in 2019. Mrs Onuh, who won on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), defeated the candidate of her father’s party (PDP), Hon. Egli Johnson Ahubi.

Mark’s daughter had dumped PDP for APGA after she lost the party’s ticket for Otukpo/Ohimini federal constituency of Benue state. In the build-up to the 2023 general election, Onhu dumped APGA for APC under whose platform she was re-elected.

Apparently, while Mark might have been campaigning for the PDP presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, he was mobilising for the APC standard-bearer, Tinubu.

Even after her father joined ADC, the lawmaker remains in APC, enjoying her chairmanship of the House Committee on Land Transport.

Whereas the National Chairman of ADC is stopping at nothing to have Tinubu pushed out of the villa in 2027, his beloved daughter, bound by party loyalty, is among those pushing for the re-election of the president.

The El Rufais: Father and son parted ways politically

Nasir El-Rufai, a former governor of Kaduna state, is among the leaders of the APC who have pitched a tent with the opposition coalition, ADC.

But, his son, Hon. Bello El Rufai, who currently represents Kaduna North federal constituency and is the chairman of the House committee on banking regulation, remains in the party despite his father.

The older El-Rufai had said his son, the younger El-Rufai, remains in APC based on his own free will when he recently spoke in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service.

The former Kaduna state governor said the lawmaker was an adult capable of making independent political decisions.

“My son Bello was elected under the platform of the APC, and his electorate seems to be happy with the work he is doing, so since he is an adult of over 30 years, he can make his own choices. Politics is about personal preference.

“If he wants to remain in the APC without getting involved in the party’s wrongdoing because of the home training we gave him, then Alhamdulillah,” he stated.

Bello, on his part, dismissed speculation over his possible defection from APC, insisting only his father could ask him to do so.

The lawmaker reacted after a social media user urged him to leave the APC for the ADC, but he firmly dismissed the suggestion, emphasising that his political decisions were not shaped by online pressure.

He said: “Bello El-Rufai wins Kaduna North Rep seat with 51,052 to defeat the PDP candidate, Samaila, who polled 34,808 votes. El-Rufai’s son sets a record by being the first candidate to win all 12 wards in Kaduna North.

“If Mallam(El-Rufai, the father) asks me to leave the APC, I’ll resign from the seat tonight. I can be non-partisan. My people adore me.”

The Iboris: Party affiliation separated father and daughter

James Ibori, a former governor of Delta state, as of last check, is still affiliated with the PDP, the party under whose platform he was elected to that exalted office.

His daughter, Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, was also elected a member, representing Ethiope federal constituency of Delta state on that platform in 2023.

However, Ibori-Suenu, who chairs the House committee on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) had defected to APC while the father is still associated with the PDP.

The Igbinedions

Omosede Igbinedion, the daughter of Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, the Esama of Benin Kingdom, recently won a by-election into the House of Representatives on the platform of the APC. However, his elder brother, Lucky Igbinedion, a former governor of Edo State, with whom they were together in the PDP, under which platform she was first elected to the House, is still in that party.

The Kaitas: Brothers only by blood

Something unique happened in 2018 when two brothers – Kabir Babba-Kaita and Ahmad Babba-Kaita contested for the Katsina North Senatorial District by-election on the platforms of the APC and PDP, respectively.

Kabir, a retired Customs officer, had won the PDP ticket by affirmation in the primary election, of which he was the sole aspirant, as his only opponent, Mani Nasarawa, withdrew from the race before the exercise commenced.

Ahmad, then a member of the House of Representatives representing the Kusada/Ingawa/Kankia federal constituency, emerged as the APC’s standard-bearer.

At the main election, Ahmad of APC emerged the winner of the by-election held to fill the vacant Senate seat for Katsina North, defeating his brother and closest rival, Kabir of PDP.

The Sarakis: Father, Son, Daughter walked different paths

In 2019, the then Senate President, Bukola Saraki, supported Atiku Abubakar of the PDP, while his sister, Gbemisola Saraki, worked for the APC and its candidates, including Muhammadu Buhari. When Buhari was re-elected, he rewarded Gbemisola with a ministerial appointment while Bukola lost his Senatorial seat.

Hitherto, Bukola, as governor, backed his then Commissioner for Finance, Abdulfatah Ahmed, to succeed him against his sister, Gbemisola, who dumped PDP for Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN).

The Soludos with a peculiar solution

Professor Chukwuma Soludo is the incumbent governor of Anambra State and a member of APGA.

However, his first daughter, Adaora Soludo, has been appointed the Women Leader of President Bola Tinubu’s political support group, the City Boys Movement.

A top aide of Anambra State Governor, Soludo, reportedly confirmed the appointment on Thursday.

The source said: “Anambra State Media Director of City Boys Movement has confirmed this. It is now authentic.”

This is coming a few days after the leader of the movement in the state, Obinna Iyiegbu, aka, Obi Cubana, led other members of the City Boys executive on a visit to Governor Soludo at the Light House, Awka.

Political commentators believe that the development showed the distrust exists even among family members over the political agitations of their relatives.

According to a political analyst, Oribo Nanie Einstein reveals that even the children of opposition leaders themselves cannot trust the agenda or ambitions of their fathers.

Einstein, a Technical Adviser to the Governor of Bayelsa State, reasoned that “if the children of opposition leaders themselves cannot trust the agenda or ambitions of their fathers, does that not reveal that they understand those fathers far better than you do?

“Consider this: Nasir El‑Rufai’s son, David Mark’s daughter, and Atiku Abubakar’s son have all chosen to align with the APC. If their own blood has crossed over, why then do you remain in the ADC?  Maybe you’re waiting for Peter Obi’s child to openly support PBAT first!

“You may disagree with certain policies of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, but dismissing his political acumen is a mistake that comes at your own peril.”