As the 2027 general elections draw near, the political dynamics in Delta State have taken a significant turn with the mass defection of several key politicians from the Labour Party (LP) to the Africa Democratic Congress (ADC).
Leading the wave is the Labour Party’s gubernatorial candidate, Deacon Kawhariebie Ken Pela, alongside national assembly, state house of assembly, and local government aspirants, who have officially joined the ADC. The defection ceremony held at Orchid Hotel Asaba attracted a large crowd from the state.
This political realignment followed a similar move at the national level with LP’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, recently defecting to the ADC in Enugu. The Delta State Chairman of ADC, Austin Okolie welcomed the members of the party from the national, zonal, state executives, stakeholders and defectors. According to Okolie, “Today’s gathering is historic.
It represents a major political realignment in Delta State and a bold signal to Nigeria that a new progressive coalition is taking shape ahead of the 2027 general elections across Nigeria”. He noted that the presence of the national and zonal representatives clearly demonstrated that ADC is not only growing at the grassroots, but is fully aligned with the national vision of the party.
In his speech at the event, Dcn. Ken Pela spoke on the reasons for the defection, which he said are need for politics grounded in integrity, service, and institutional reform rather than loyalty and rhetoric. He decried the prevailing political culture, which he said rewards familiarity over competence, and lamented the increasing concentration of power, which he said is detrimental to democratic pluralism.
He stated, “Delta State is richly endowed, but is weighed down by broken trust and political culture that rewards noise over substance. We need politics anchored on responsibility and service. That is why I have chosen ADC, a platform that places values above individuals and judges governance by results, not rhetoric.”
Ken Pela also highlighted the broader national crises in Nigeria, which he said include widespread insecurity and economic hardship, pointing to over 130 million Nigerians that he said are living in multi-dimensional poverty. Against these challenges, he called for a united front committed to restoring trust and hope.
The declaration was formalized as Pela and other pledged their commitment to ADC’s constitution, values, and ideals.
Receiving the defectors, ADC National Chief Whip, Elder Festus Igbinoba, who represented the party’s National Chairman, David Mark, said that the defection indicates a broader trend of principled leaders shifting towards the ADC. “This is a convergence of values. The ADC continues to attract leaders dedicated to discipline, institutional growth, and people-focused governance,” he said.
