Ex-Lagos governorship candidate Funso Doherty dumps ADC for NDC

By Ayorinde Oluokun

The candidate of African Democratic Congress, ADC in the 2023 Lagos governorship election, Funso Doherty has announced his defection to the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC.

Doherty who had also indicated his intention to contest for the Lagos governorship in the 2027 election announced his defection in a statement on Thursday.

He attributed his decision to abandon ADC to division among the leaders of the party.

Doherty noted that with such division among its leaders, the hope that the ADC will be a platform that will unite the opposition is no longer realizable.

He said every member of the ADC must therefore decide whether to remain with the party or seek to realise their political aspirations on another platform.

“After due consultation, careful deliberation and prayerful reflection, I have joined the NDC. I am convinced that this is the path that will enable us to deliver the benefits of good governance to those to whom they are due – every citizen, without exception,” Doherty said.

However, this is the second time that the governorship candidate will be abandoning the ADC. He had dumped the party for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, after his woeful performance in the 2023 governorship election.

But he announced his return to the ADC after some opposition leaders adopted the party as their platform for contesting against the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC in the 2027 general election.

His statement announcing that he has also abandoned ADC for NDC reads: “Most of us are aware of developments concerning the ADC that have collectively resulted in a division of the coalition with some leaders moving to the NDC and some remaining in the ADC.

“We had hoped that ADC would be the vehicle that would unite the opposition. That is now clearly no longer the case. In these circumstances therefore, we must each individually make a decision as to whether to remain with the ADC or move to the NDC.

“After due consultation, careful deliberation and prayerful reflection, I have joined the NDC. I am convinced that this is the path that will enable us to deliver the benefits of good governance to those to whom they are due – every citizen, without exception.

“The battle ahead remains formidable, but I invite you to join us on this exciting, though sometimes turbulent, journey to a brighter future that has been long- promised and that has so far proven elusive, but that is, by the Grace of God, now imminent.”