Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Tuesday said the African Democratic Congress was effectively finished as a political force after another wave of defections hit the party, with lawmakers moving mainly to the Nigeria Democratic Congress and the Labour Party. Speaking during plenary, Akpabio mocked the pace of the defections, saying repeated announcements had become excessive and suggesting defectors should submit their names in batches instead of turning it into what he described as a daily ritual.
His remarks came after the Senate announced fresh switches, including that of Victor Umeh, while the House of Representatives also recorded a major exodus from the ADC. BusinessDay, Punch and Arise News reported that at least 17 House members formally dumped the party for the NDC during Tuesday’s sitting, citing unresolved crises from the national to ward levels.
The defections have further weakened an opposition alliance that was already under strain. Reuters reported on Tuesday that Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso had also quit the ADC-led coalition and moved to the NDC, dealing a major blow to efforts to build a united front against President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 election.
Akpabio’s “ADC is dead” comment therefore captured more than Senate banter; it reflected the rapid unravelling of a coalition that had been expected to mount a serious challenge to the ruling APC.
