Senator Ireti Kingibe, who represents the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in the National Assembly, has announced her decision to leave the Labour Party (LP) and join the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
In a viral video seen by The Nation and reported by the 9am News report, Kingibe explained her decision, stating that the deep division within the Labour Party made her move both legal and necessary.
“There are two clear factions within the Labour Party. That is the perfect definition that the constitution gives for somebody to decamp without penalty,” Kingibe said while addressing journalists.
Kingibe noted that her formal defection would be marked with fanfare soon.
“I’m totally and completely committed to ADC. 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,” she said.
Defection Justified by Party Split
When asked about the constitutional implications of switching parties, the senator argued that the Labour Party’s split into two distinct factions gave her the right to defect without losing her seat.
“Which faction of Labour Party do you want me to stay in? There are two clear distinct ones. Even INEC got two sets of results and candidates, though they didn’t accept any,” she said.
She stressed that she has always respected the law, adding, “If there were not two distinct factions of Labour Party, I would not presume to decamp, because that is unconstitutional. But they are. And this is the definition that the constitution gave for why it would be okay to decamp to anywhere I wanted to go. I just chose ADC.”
Senator Kingibe was among notable politicians who attended the unveiling of the ADC as the platform for a new opposition coalition in Abuja on July 2, 2025.
When asked if she was satisfied with the ADC leadership and its coalition, she said, “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 move is expected to stir debates within the National Assembly and among opposition blocs ahead of future elections.
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