Eyinnaya Abaribe, senator representing Abia south, has resigned from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and joined the African Democratic Congress (APC).
Abaribe announced his decision in Enugu on Wednesday while addressing supporters shortly after Peter Obi’s defection to the ADC.
While introducing himself at the event, the lawmaker acknowledged David Mark, chairman of the ADC, and disclosed that he was donning the party’s cap for the first time.
“Mr David Mark, chairman of ADC, this is the logo of the party on this cap, and I’m going to wear this cap for the first time,” he said.
Abaribe stated that his resignation from APGA had been concluded earlier in the day.
“Let me also announce that this morning, I resigned from the All Progressive Grand Alliance. So as of now, I am fully in ADC, following my brother and our leader, Mr Peter Obi,” he said.
He expressed optimism that the ADC would succeed in realising its political ambitions.
“I wish all of us well, and I know that we’re going to get there,” he said.
Recalling a previous interview on the timing of political change, Abaribe referenced an Igbo phrase to explain his conviction.
“When I was giving my last interview and they were asking me how do you think it will happen, I told them ‘Mgbe o ruru’ (the time has come),” he said.
The senator described his move to the ADC as part of a broader determination to redirect Nigeria’s political future.
He accused the ruling party of failing to fulfil its promises to the electorate.
“The whole of us are going into ADC, and we shall remove the cancer that has held Nigeria down since 2015,” Abaribe said.
“We will remove that party that promised change but brought pain. That party brought death and destruction to Nigeria.”
Following his defection, Abaribe becomes the second serving senator in the national assembly to join the ADC, after Ireti Kingibe, senator representing the federal capital territory, switched allegiance earlier this month.