Senator Ireti Kingibe, representing the Federal Capital Territory, will officially register with the African Democratic Congress this Thursday, cementing her departure from the Labour Party and marking a significant realignment ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The registration ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. at the ADC national secretariat in Wuse, Abuja. The event is expected to draw senior party officials, candidates for the upcoming FCT area council elections, and media representatives. In a statement, Senator Kingibe’s media aide, Kennedy Mbele, described the move as formally sealing her exit from the Labour Party and noted her unique status as the only serving senator within the opposition ADC, calling her political profile “an invaluable asset.”
Senator Kingibe first declared her intention to defect in July 2025, characterizing the decision as “intentional” and promising a visible transition. “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 collect a card. I want to do so with noise and fanfare,” she stated at the time.
Her defection occurs against a backdrop of ongoing political recalibrations within Nigeria’s legislature. The timing is strategically notable, coming just months before the FCT area council elections in February 2026, where the ADC is fielding candidates and stands to gain from her enhanced local profile.
However, the senator’s political efforts recently faced a setback. On Wednesday, the Senate rejected a motion she sponsored seeking legislative intervention for governance challenges in Abuja. This highlights the complexities opposition figures can encounter when advancing policy agendas within the chamber.