Former Governor of Cross River State Donald Duke has formally quit the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in a move that signals a deepening realignment of opposition forces ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The high-profile defection took place on Friday, January 30, 2026, in Calabar, Cross River State, where Duke completed his registration with the ADC in Ward 5 of Calabar Municipality.
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Supporters cheered as he received his ADC membership card, marking his official entry into the opposition party’s ranks.
Duke’s decision to leave the PDP comes at a time when the political landscape in Nigeria is shifting, with prominent figures seeking alternative platforms to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
This latest move also reunites him with other notable opposition leaders who have gravitated towards the ADC, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and ex-Labour Party flagbearer Peter Obi, both of whom have been associated with the ADC coalition as they prepare for the 2027 polls.
Observers note that this is not the first time Duke has exited the PDP. He previously left the party to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP), where he became its presidential candidate under controversial circumstances.
That earlier defection attracted significant attention and debate within political circles.
The ADC leadership in Cross River has described Duke’s arrival as a strategic boost for the party’s ambitions, especially in the South-South region. Party officials, including chapter executives in Bakassi Local Government Area, have used the occasion to call on residents of the state to embrace the ADC as a credible platform for transformative change across Nigeria.
In statements released during the event and subsequent stakeholders’ meetings, party leaders reaffirmed their loyalty to the party’s national leadership and outlined their belief that the ADC can provide a viable alternative to the APC’s governance.
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This development underscores the growing momentum behind the ADC as Nigeria’s political opposition seeks to consolidate and present a united front in the face of what many critics describe as entrenched misrule by the incumbent administration.
With figures like Duke, Atiku, and Obi aligning within the same broad political movement, the stage is set for an intensified contest in the buildup to the next presidential election.
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Source: NaijaNews.com
