The political landscape in Ekiti State was shaken on Friday as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) was officially unveiled in Ado-Ekiti, drawing a wave of high-profile defections from major parties, including the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Labour Party (LP).
The event, described as a “historic merger of progressive minds” by ADC State Chairman Omolayo Omole, has sparked widespread speculation and unease within the APC-led state government.
The unveiling ceremony saw prominent figures, including former Ekiti State Deputy Governors Prof. Olusola Eleka (under Ayo Fayose) and Dr. Tae Lawal (under Segun Oni), alongside former Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Boyega Aribisogan, officially join the ADC.
Other notable defectors included former Secretary to the State Government Amb. Dare Bejide and Akin Omole, a former Commissioner for Information under Kayode Fayemi.
These leaders, alongside several local government appointees and party executives, collapsed their political structures into the ADC, signaling a significant realignment ahead of the 2026 gubernatorial election.
Omole, addressing the crowd, positioned the ADC as the “solution to Nigeria’s numerous challenges” and called on political leaders across party lines to join the party’s “rescue mission.”
He described the defections as a step toward building a platform for national rebirth, stating, “ADC is not just a party; it is a movement for change.” Representing former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Bayo Fakunle declared the coalition unstoppable, saying, “The ADC has come to change the narrative. Nothing can stop a moving train.”
The defections have fueled perceptions of vulnerability within the APC-led government under Governor Biodun Oyebanji.
APC Publicity Secretary Segun Dipe dismissed the rumors as “baseless propaganda” aimed at creating internal strife. “We are not perturbed. Any busybody who yearns to know what is happening in our party is free to contact me as the spokesperson,” Dipe said in a statement.
He emphasized Fayemi’s commitment to the APC, stating, “He is a strong pillar of our party in Ekiti State and will not allow the house he laboured to build to collapse.”
Governor Oyebanji also refuted defection rumors, with his Special Adviser on Media, Yinka Oyebode, asserting, “Oyebanji and the public office holders mentioned remain firmly rooted in the APC and have no plans to join the ADC.”
The coalition, which includes heavyweights like Nasir El-Rufai and Rotimi Amaechi, is seen as an attempt to unite opposition forces ahead of the 2027 general elections.
As the ADC gains traction, the Ekiti political scene braces for a heated contest, with the coalition’s growing influence threatening to reshape the state’s power dynamics in the lead-up to 2026.
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