Former Governorship Candidate Dumps ADC Ahead of 2027 Election
- Tonte Ibraye quit the African Democratic Congress on September 24, 2026, citing a prolonged leadership dispute threatening the party's 2027 election plans
- Ibraye warned that candidates produced under a contested ADC leadership risked having their nominations built on unstable legal ground
- The former Rivers governorship candidate said he would consult supporters across all 23 LGAs before deciding his next political move
PAY ATTENTION: Mark Legit.ng as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!
Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over eight years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
Port Harcourt, Rivers State - Tonte Ibraye, who ran for governor of Rivers State on the African Democratic Congress (ADC) platform in 2023, has quit the party, saying its ongoing leadership crisis and unresolved legal disputes made his continued membership impossible.
Ibraye said the situation inside the party had crossed from ordinary political friction into a matter of principle.
Source: Twitter
As reported by The Punch, Ibraye addressed his resignation letter on September 24, 2026, to the ADC Ward Chairman, Degema Ward 16, Bille, Rivers State.
Why Ibraye left the ADC
At the heart of his grievance is a leadership dispute linked to a faction associated with former Senate President David Mark, which Ibraye said had been exercising authority over party structures and candidate selection processes even as related legal matters remained unresolved in court.
He argued that allowing a disputed leadership to determine ADC candidates for the 2027 elections put the legitimacy of those candidacies in serious doubt.
"The continued attempt by a disputed leadership to determine ADC candidates for the 2027 elections raises questions about the legitimacy and stability of such candidatures."
According to The Nation, he described the tickets coming from such processes as being "on quicksand rather than solid ground."
Ibraye also aimed at a separate issue: the wave of new entrants he said were attempting to displace duly constituted party executives across the country, a development he believes has deepened the internal crisis further.
Ibraye's broader critique of opposition
Beyond the internal party dispute, Ibraye used his resignation to challenge the broader direction of opposition politics in Nigeria.
He criticised what he described as an excessive focus on removing President Bola Tinubu from office without offering Nigerians a credible alternative programme for governance.
He argued that a meaningful opposition must be anchored on clear economic and social policies rather than the singular objective of defeating an incumbent.
"No political movement can build a credible future while its internal foundation remains subject to fundamental legal and organisational disputes," he said.
"I have decided that I can no longer remain on what I consider a sinking political ship," he added.
Ibraye said his resignation took immediate effect. He added that he planned to consult his supporters and political associates across Rivers State's 23 local government areas before announcing his next political direction.
The development comes as the ADC has been drawing in opposition politicians looking for an alternative platform ahead of the 2027 general elections.
That realignment has brought both momentum and friction, with disagreements over leadership control and the management of the party's electoral machinery becoming a recurring problem.
Ibraye said departing the ADC would not weaken his commitment to Rivers State or his advocacy for transparent and accountable governance.
Source: Original
PDP, ADC members defect to APC in Kogi
Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that hundreds of PDP and ADC members in Kabba-Bunu local government area formally crossed to the APC at a decamping ceremony.
Former PDP leader Hon. Michael Olubiyo cited Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo's leadership style as a key reason for his defection.
APC ward chairman said the mass defection reflects growing support for the governor, state security adviser, and local government chairman.
Source: Legit.ng
