Senator Ireti Kingibe, who represents the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) senatorial district in the National Assembly, has announced her defection from the Labour Party (LP) to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), setting the stage for her political plans ahead of the 2027 general election.
Speaking with journalists in Abuja, Kingibe described the move as “deliberate and strategic,” and confirmed that a formal declaration would soon follow, to be marked by what she described as “noise and fanfare.”
“I’m totally and completely committed to ADC,” she said. “But obviously, as the Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory, don’t expect me to just take a lunch break and go and collect a card. I want to do so with noise and fanfare.”
When asked about her confidence in ADC’s structure and its emerging coalition, Kingibe said the party was still evolving and likened its development to that of a growing child.
“You cannot say while your child is still crawling that you’re unhappy with how he’s going to run. You wait. We are growing,” she explained.
On the legality of her defection, the Senator referenced the ongoing internal crisis within the Labour Party.
She pointed to the existence of two clear factions within the party as justification for her move, citing constitutional grounds that allow an elected official to defect without losing their seat under such circumstances.
“There are two clear factions of the Labour Party — the perfect definition the constitution gives for someone to decamp without penalty,” she said. “So, you say I should stay in the Labour Party. Which faction do you want me to stay in?”
She added that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had previously received conflicting lists of candidates and results from both factions, further highlighting the party’s disunity.
“If there were not two distinct factions of the Labour Party, I would not presume to decamp. But there are. And this is the definition the constitution gave for why it’s okay to decamp to anywhere I want. I just chose ADC,” she stated.
LEADERSHIP recalls that Senator Kingibe was also among the political figures who attended the official unveiling of ADC as the new platform for a broader opposition coalition on July 2 in Abuja — a move widely seen as part of ongoing realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
