Labour Party in Disarray, Says Senator Ireti Kingibe as She Backs Opposition Coalition
Senator Ireti Kingibe, representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has expressed deep concerns over the internal crisis rocking the Labour Party (LP), saying the party is too fractured to win any election in its current state.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Political Paradigm on Tuesday, Kingibe acknowledged she remains a member of the Labour Party but confirmed her alignment with the newly adopted opposition coalition under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) platform.
“Yes, I am [still a member of the Labour Party], but I support the ADC,” the senator affirmed.
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Kingibe, who won her Senate seat on the LP platform in the 2023 general election, said the leadership tussle and internal divisions within the party have rendered it unfit to serve as a viable electoral vehicle, especially ahead of the FCT local government elections.
“Labour Party is in some sort of a quagmire. We are trying to put it together, but I do not see the Labour Party in the present way it is as a vehicle that can win any election. It’s been very fractured and broken,” she said.
She noted that while the LP might have been the natural platform for the opposition in the FCT, its fragmentation led to the adoption of the ADC, which she believes fields credible candidates capable of defeating the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
On whether she would eventually leave the Labour Party if the internal crisis persists, the 71-year-old lawmaker said, “Maybe, I might eventually.”
Opposition Coalition Solidifies Ahead of 2027
Kingibe’s remarks come just days after the formal adoption of the ADC by a coalition of opposition heavyweights led by Atiku Abubakar. The group includes Peter Obi, David Mark, Rauf Aregbesola, Rotimi Amaechi, and Nasir El-Rufai, among others.
The coalition aims to unseat President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election, citing widespread discontent over the country’s worsening economic conditions, spiraling inflation, and rising cost of living.
They are banking on the combined 12 million votes secured by Atiku and Obi in the 2023 election—over four million more than the votes Tinubu garnered.
The political realignment has intensified the debate about the future of the opposition and the strength of the ruling party as the next election cycle approaches.
