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Summary
Senator Ireti Kingibe has officially defected from the Labour Party to the African Democratic Congress before the 2027 elections. She described her move as constitutionally justified and aligned with her commitment to democratic values.
Senator Ireti Kingibe, representative of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has formally announced her defection from the Labour Party (LP) to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), citing internal division within the LP as the reason behind her decision.
Senator Ireti described her move as a “deliberate and strategic political decision” ahead of the 2027 general elections. She also revealed that her official induction into the ADC would be marked with fanfare.
“But obviously, as the senator representing the Federal Capital Territory, don’t expect me to just take a lunch break and go collect a card. I want to do so with noise and fanfare,” she said.
Addressing potential concerns about the constitutional implications of her defection, she argued that the split within the Labour Party legally justifies her move under the law.
Senator Ireti added that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had also experienced complications with the party, having received two sets of results and candidates from the LP during elections.
“Even INEC got two sets of results and candidates, though they didn’t accept any. So if you ask me to stay in the Labour Party, which faction do you want me to stay in?” she asked.
The senator expressed confidence in her new party’s potential, saying the ADC is still in its growth stage but has strong leadership.
“It’s something that is evolving. So you cannot say, while your child is still crawling, that you are not happy with how he’s going to run. You wait. We are growing.”
Her defection comes amid growing tensions within the Labour Party. Senator Ireti maintains that her decision is both constitutionally justified and rooted in her commitment to democratic values.
Her move also coincides with what can be described as one of Nigeria’s most significant political shake-ups since the return to democracy in 1999. Opposition figures nationwide are coming together to form a broad coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The alliance is aimed at challenging President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), in what some have described as a collective effort to “rescue Nigeria’s democracy.”
