Ireti Kingibe defects to ADC, blames Labour Party factional crisis

Senator Ireti Kingibe, who represents the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in the National Assembly, has officially left the Labour Party (LP) and joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC), citing deepening factional divisions within the LP as her reason for defecting.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja, Kingibe described the move as deliberate and strategic, noting that her formal entry into ADC would be marked with public fanfare. “I’m totally and completely committed to ADC,” she said. “As the senator representing the FCT, don’t expect me to just take a lunch break and go collect a party card. I want to do so with noise and fanfare.”

She described the ADC as a party in transition but expressed confidence in its growth and direction. “It’s something that is evolving,” Kingibe explained. “You can’t judge a child who’s still crawling by how he will eventually run. We are growing.”

Addressing constitutional concerns over her defection, the senator pointed to the clear existence of two factions within the Labour Party, which she said grants her legal justification to switch parties without forfeiting her seat. “I ask you to please read the constitution. There are two clear factions of Labour Party. That’s the perfect definition that allows someone to decamp without penalty,” she said.

She further emphasized that even the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had received separate sets of candidates and election results from both LP factions, confirming the depth of the division. “Which faction of Labour Party do you want me to stay in?” she asked rhetorically.

Kingibe stressed that she remains a firm believer in constitutional due process. “If there were not two distinct factions, I would not presume to decamp, because that would be unconstitutional. But they are, and this gives me the legal right to move to a party of my choice — and I’ve chosen ADC.”

The senator was among the prominent political figures present at the official unveiling of ADC as the new platform for the opposition coalition in Abuja on July 2, ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Her defection is expected to boost the visibility of the ADC and add momentum to the coalition’s efforts to challenge the dominance of the ruling party in the next electoral cycle.