Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, son of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, has publicly declared his support for President Bola Tinubu's second-term bid, creating a notable political divide within the El-Rufai family.

Bello, who represents Kaduna North in the House of Representatives, attended the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Summit in Abuja where Tinubu was endorsed as the party's sole candidate for the 2027 presidential election.

This public show of support comes just months after his father, Nasir El-Rufai, abandoned the APC in March 2025, citing that the party no longer reflected his values. The elder El-Rufai subsequently joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP) with promises to unite opposition forces against the APC in the upcoming 2027 elections.

The political divergence between father and son has attracted public attention, with activist Reno Omokri mocking the situation. "If El-Rufai can't convince his son to leave Tinubu, how will he convince Nigerians?" Omokri remarked.

This is not the first instance of political discord within the El-Rufai family. Last year, another of El-Rufai's sons, Bashir, publicly criticized President Tinubu and Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani on social media, predicting electoral defeats for both in 2027. Bashir also alleged that the probe into his father over purported mismanagement of N423 billion was politically motivated.

"Nobody is too big to be 'elected out of office' by the people. It will happen & wallahi nothing will happen. So forget all these intimidations flying up and down. Let us be patient," Bashir had tweeted.

The APC's recent endorsement of President Tinubu as its sole candidate for 2027 comes amid mixed reactions to his administration's economic reforms and governance approach. According to the Presidency, the decision to adopt Tinubu as the sole candidate followed a thorough assessment of his performance.

As the political landscape continues to evolve ahead of the 2027 elections, the El-Rufai family's internal political divisions appear to mirror the broader realignments occurring within Nigerian politics.