Defections by Proxy? When Political Heavyweights’ Children Choose the Ruling Party

(By WALBE OGAK) 

In Nigerian politics, symbols often speak louder than formal defections or fiery press statements. Beyond the headline-grabbing moves of political actors themselves, a quieter but far more intriguing pattern is emerging: the political choices of the children of opposition heavyweights—and the questions those choices now raise about the future of opposition politics ahead of 2027.

Take Blessing Onuh, daughter of former Senate President Senator David Mark. Senator Mark is not just a veteran opposition figure; he currently serves as the National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), a party positioning itself as a serious opposition platform. Yet his daughter is a serving member of the House of Representatives on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and a known political ally of Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State. The contrast between father and daughter’s political homes is striking.

In a similar vein, Bello El-Rufai, son of former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, is also a member of the House of Representatives under the APC in Kaduna State. This is noteworthy, especially given that El-Rufai senior is a founding member of the ADC, a party increasingly associated with opposition realignment. While his son remains firmly within the ruling party, his father is helping to build an alternative political structure outside the APC.

Perhaps the most politically symbolic development came recently from Mustapha Atiku, son of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, one of the most consistent challengers to the APC at the presidential level. Two weeks ago, Mustapha formally joined the APC. A week later, he declared publicly that no party or individual can stop President Bola Ahmed Tinubu from winning the 2027 presidential election. The statement sent shockwaves through political circles, not because of who said it, but because of whose son said it.

Adding to the growing list is Iyabo Obasanjo, daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who recently registered as an APC member in Ogun State. Her move further reinforces a pattern that is becoming difficult to dismiss as coincidence.

Taken together, these developments provoke an uncomfortable but necessary question within Nigeria’s evolving political landscape: if leading opposition figures are anchoring or founding opposition parties like the ADC, why are so many of their children pitching their tents with the ruling APC? And, more pointedly, whose children are being lined up to populate the opposition ranks?

Whether these choices reflect personal convictions, generational pragmatism, or a sober reading of where power currently resides, they reveal a deeper undercurrent in Nigerian politics. As the older generation builds opposition platforms and coalitions, the younger generation—often with privileged access to political insight—appears to be hedging its bets elsewhere.

As 2027 approaches, the message from these “defections by proxy” is hard to ignore: Nigeria’s political contest is no longer just about parties and personalities, but about legacy, succession, and where the next generation believes the future truly lies.