Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in the National Assembly, Ireti Kingibe has announced her defection from the Labour Party (LP) to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja, Kingibe said the move was deliberate and would soon be formalised with “fanfare.”
“I’m totally and completely committed to ADC,” she said. “Don’t expect me to just take a lunch break and go collect a card. I want to do so with noise and celebration.”
The senator, who was present at the unveiling of ADC as the platform for a new opposition coalition on 2 July, described the party as “evolving” and likened it to a growing child. “You wait. We are growing,” she added.
On whether her defection could lead to the loss of her Senate seat, Kingibe cited constitutional provisions, pointing to the current split within the Labour Party. “There are two clear factions… That is the constitutional basis that allows me to decamp without penalty,” she said.
She stressed that her decision was guided by the law and her belief in the emerging opposition platform.