Nigerian Lawmakers Including Bello ElRufai Defect Parties

Several members of Nigeria's House of Representatives, including Bello ElRufai, son of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir ElRufai, defected from their parties to new ones during Thursday's plenary session.

House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas read letters from the lawmakers announcing their decisions. Bello ElRufai, representing Kaduna North Federal Constituency and chairman of the House Committee on Banking Regulations, left the All Progressives Congress for the African Democratic Congress. He was joined by two Peoples Democratic Party lawmakers from Kaduna State: Umar Ajilo of Makarfi/Kudan Federal Constituency and Suleiman Yahaya Richifa of Soba Federal Constituency, both switching to the African Democratic Congress.

In separate announcements, Abbas noted the defection of Kamilu Ado, representing a Kano State constituency, from the African Democratic Congress to the Nigeria Democratic Congress. Joshua Obika, representing AMAC/Bwari Federal Constituency in the Federal Capital Territory, resigned from the All Progressives Congress to join the Nigeria Democratic Congress.

The lawmakers cited unresolved internal disputes and uncertainties in their former parties as the reasons for their...