By: Stephanie Shaakaa
Democracy is often celebrated as a system of checks and balances, of elections and constitutions, yet its most profound expression exists in the quiet choices people make every day. One of the most striking demonstrations of this freedom is the way political beliefs manifest within families. In Nigeria and around the world, it is not unusual to find fathers and sons, siblings, or other close relatives belonging to different political parties. These divergences are sometimes portrayed as conflicts, as betrayals, or as weaknesses, but in truth they are living proof of individual agency and the very essence of democratic freedom.
In vibrant democracies, political identity is a personal choice shaped by lived experience, ideology, and vision for society.
Political allegiance is often assumed to follow family lines, yet the reality is far richer and more complex. Take Atiku Abubakar, former vice president and perennial political heavyweight. Atiku has built a life in politics defined by ambition, strategy, and a clear vision for the country. Yet his son has taken a political path that diverges in subtle but significant ways, aligning with parties and positions that do not always mirror his father’s. The two rarely quarrel over it, because both understand a fundamental truth, political belief is personal. As Atiku once said about family and choice, I have taught my children that loyalty to principle matters more than loyalty to party or name.
This is not an anomaly. The Saraki family offers a similar lesson in democratic freedom. Bukola Saraki, former Senate President, and his sister, Gbemisola Saraki, have at times campaigned for different parties, representing distinct visions for their constituencies. Yet neither considers this a betrayal. Bukola Saraki once remarked, Our family may share a name, but each of us must chart our own path. Politics is personal, and conviction cannot be inherited. Gbemisola adds, We have disagreed on party lines, but that has never meant disrespect or disloyalty to family. Democracy allows room for difference.
It is a Sunday afternoon in Kaduna, and Mohammed Bello El Rufai scrolls through his phone while sipping tea. His father, Nasir El Rufai, former governor and a political strategist of national renown, sits nearby reading a newspaper. On paper, they are aligned by family and experience. In reality, their political paths are starting to diverge. Mohammed quietly supports President Bola Tinubu and the APC, while his father has signaled interest in opposition movements, a shift that has sparked whispers among political observers. The two rarely argue about it. They simply acknowledge that politics, like democracy itself, is a personal choice.
Nasir El Rufai, has navigated multiple parties in his career, from the Peoples Democratic Party to the Congress for Progressive Change, and then to the All Progressives Congress, which he helped build. His son, Mohammed Bello El Rufai, currently serves in the House of Representatives under the APC. Another son has chosen a different approach entirely, critiquing both government and opposition, asserting his own voice in public life. Nasir El Rufai himself has said, I do not expect everyone in my family to see the world the way I do. What matters is that we respect each other’s choices and engage with ideas, not just names.His son adds, Being part of a political family does not mean following blindly. I support what I believe is right for the people, even if it differs from my father’s position.
The children of the late MKO Abiola Rinsola Abiola and Jamiu Abiola have publicly supported different parties in elections, with Rinsola aligning with newer parties like the Action Democratic Party (ADP) and Jamiu expressing support for other mainstream options, illustrating how second‑generation political choice can diverge.
Buba Galadima and His Daughter Zainab
Veteran politician Buba Galadima, once aligned with the APC and later a critic, has a daughter who has worked within the Buhari presidency’s structures symbolizing generational or positional differences in political alignment even within the same household.
These Nigerian examples show that democracy thrives in the spaces between agreement and disagreement, where personal choice is respected. Politics is deeply personal, and family ties do not dictate political alignment. Fathers can support one party, sons another, siblings may occupy opposing spaces, yet love, respect, and connection endure. Families with multiple political voices create living laboratories for democratic engagement. They teach voters to think critically, evaluate ideas, and not rely solely on familiar names. Political parties, too, are forced to articulate clear visions rather than assume loyalty from recognized family brands.
This phenomenon is not unique to Nigeria. In the United States, Alice Roosevelt Longworth, daughter of President Theodore Roosevelt, famously opposed her distant cousin, Franklin D Roosevelt, a Democrat. She embraced her independence with wit and principle, stating, I have always believed that one must speak truth, even if it places you at odds with your own family. Politics is too important for blind loyalty. Within the Bush family, Nancy Walker Bush Ellis supported causes and candidates different from her brother’s priorities, observing, Supporting a cause or candidate different from one’s family is not betrayal. It is the exercise of one’s own conscience. These examples show that even within powerful political dynasties, individual choice remains paramount.
In Canada, siblings like Tim and Jim Peterson have occupied different political spaces, representing distinct constituencies and legislative priorities. Jean Lapierre moved from the Liberal Party to help establish a new political movement. Across Europe, India, and the United Kingdom, it is common for families to align with different parties in response to generational shifts or evolving ideology. Political diversity within families is not unusual; it is a hallmark of vibrant democracies.
The lessons are clear. Political plurality within families is a reflection of democracy itself. It shows that belief cannot be inherited. Each individual must think, choose, and act according to conscience. Family disagreements in politics are not weaknesses, they are evidence that citizens are free, engaged, and active participants in shaping society. They demonstrate that debate and difference can exist alongside love and respect, and that civil discourse is possible even within the most intimate relationships.
Consider the small, everyday moments that bring this principle to life. A Saraki sibling campaigns in a constituency while the other speaks at a different rally. Mohammed Bello El Rufai addresses constituents in Kaduna, articulating policies that may not match his father’s messaging. Across Lagos, Atiku’s son may host a town hall, listening to young voters with questions his father might answer differently. These are not spectacles of conflict; they are ordinary acts of democracy in practice. They show that freedom of thought and action matters more than uniformity.
Generational change also plays a key role. Younger members of political households often bring fresh perspectives, priorities, and approaches. These differences push older generations to consider new ideas, to adapt, and to reassess entrenched positions. This intergenerational dialogue, conducted with respect, mirrors the larger democratic process, where negotiation, compromise, and debate are essential for progress.
Ultimately, the measure of a healthy democracy is not uniformity but freedom. It is not conformity but choice. When fathers support one party, sons another, and siblings pursue opposing visions, democracy is not fractured, it is affirmed. Political plurality within families demonstrates that every citizen, regardless of age or lineage, has the right to dissent, to make choices, and to engage. These families remind society that disagreement can coexist with love, respect, and connection. Political differences are not a threat to cohesion, they are a sign that the system works.
The stories of Atiku Abubakar and his son, the Sarakis, the El Rufai family, Alice Roosevelt Longworth, Nancy Walker Bush Ellis, and countless others around the world show that democracy is lived in the spaces between agreement and difference. It is exercised in the choice to support one party, to critique another, and to pursue principle over convenience. Family political divergence is natural, essential, and vibrant. It reminds us that the essence of democracy is not merely casting ballots or holding office, but the freedom to think, to choose, and to act according to conscience.
In the living rooms, kitchens, and streets of Nigeria, as in homes across the globe, these quiet acts of choice of dissent, support, or critique are the heartbeat of democracy. They teach patience, empathy, reflection, and engagement. They affirm that politics does not have to divide families, and that difference can coexist with connection. Political plurality within families is not only natural, it is one of the richest expressions of democratic freedom. It is proof that citizens can think independently, act with integrity, and embrace both conviction and dialogue, regardless of the names they share.
Stephanie Shaakaa, a Public Affairs Commentator writes from shaakaastephanie@yahoo.com