Senator Ireti Kingibe, the trailblazing representative of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), formally defected from the Labour Party (LP) to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) on December 17, 2025, cementing her exit with an official registration ceremony slated for Thursday at the party's Wuse, Abuja headquarters. Her media aide, Kennedy Mbele, confirmed the high-profile switch in a statement, highlighting Kingibe's emergence as the sole serving senator in the "new but vibrant opposition party," poised to rally ADC's FCT area council candidates ahead of the February 21 elections alongside supporters and media.
This audacious move underscores Kingibe's quest for ideological alignment after her stunning 2023 upset over APC's Philip Aduda, where she rode LP's Obi wave before clashing with party hierarchies over autonomy and FCT equity demands. Mbele framed the defection as a "bold step" amplifying ADC's anti-establishment surge, positioning the Harvard-educated lawyer and development advocate to challenge Tinubu's FCT grip amid whispers of 2027 gubernatorial ambitions.
Kingibe's solo ADC perch spotlights opposition fragmentation post-2023, blending her pro-people record on infrastructure and security with Ralph Nwosu's platform, potentially galvanizing urban voters disillusioned by APC dominance in Nigeria's political nerve center.