Bello El-Rufai Backs Tinubu’s Second Term, Distances Himself from Father’s SDP Move

Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, son of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, has thrown his weight behind President Bola Tinubu’s bid for a second term, signaling a clear political departure from his father. Bello, who represents Kaduna North in the House of Representatives, made his position public at the APC National Summit in Abuja, where Tinubu was formally endorsed as the party’s sole candidate for the 2027 presidential election.

This development comes in stark contrast to the recent decision by his father, Nasir El-Rufai, who in March 2025 exited the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing a misalignment with his values. The elder El-Rufai joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP), vowing to unite opposition forces in a bid to defeat the APC in the next general elections.

Bello’s stance has stirred political conversation, with activist Reno Omokri commenting pointedly on the situation. “If El-Rufai can’t convince his son to leave Tinubu, how will he convince Nigerians?” Omokri remarked, highlighting the familial and ideological rift.

Tensions within the El-Rufai family had already surfaced in 2024 when Bashir El-Rufai, another son of the former governor, publicly criticized both President Tinubu and Kaduna Governor Uba Sani on social media. Bashir predicted their defeat in the 2027 elections and denounced the N423 billion probe into his father’s administration as politically driven. In a defiant post, he asserted, “Nobody is too big to be ‘elected out of office’ by the people. It will happen & wallahi nothing will happen.”