Leke Ajibade, a member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) representing Yagba Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, has reaffirmed his commitment to the re-election of President Bola Tinubu in 2027, while also noting that his heart belongs to both the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition ADC.

He made this known during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Thursday night.

Mr Ajibade said, “Asiwaju (Tinubu) has been my leader, not today, so we have been wearing that cap not only today. When I came to the House, I was alone; I actually came with somebody, but he defected to the APC. So, I became lonely like an orphan. PDP had a lot of members, and Labour had members, so I had to relate with people I can mingle with, so I have been working with them. I won election on the platform of the African Democratic Congress; APC was there. If I carried APC at heart, I wouldn’t have won because they (electorates) know my programme, which is different from what APC is doing.

“But in the National Assembly, you can’t work alone; you have to work with people. Even before I came to ADC, I was in the APC, and my leaders are still there till today. My heart is in the APC, and in the ADC. It is not a crime, because I have brothers that I cannot separate from who are in the APC, and I cannot separate from them because of politics.”

When asked whom he would vote for as president in 2027, Mr Ajibade said, “Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and it’s not about party.”

Mr Ajibade, a staunch supporter of Mr Tinubu, has been strongly criticised for alleged anti-party activities.

Earlier on Thursday, the Kogi lawmaker, who was elected on the platform of the ADC to the House of Representatives in 2023, co-led a protest to the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) alongside ADC’s factional leader, Nafiu Bala Gombe, against the David Mark-led faction of the ADC.

During the protest, they accused Mr Mark’s faction of attempting to hijack the ADC’s leadership in defiance of the party’s constitution and internal processes.

Addressing INEC officials during the protest, Mr Abejide urged the commission to resist what he described as an attempted takeover of the ADC, stressing that the party constitution clearly outlines eligibility requirements for leadership positions.

“We are here to urge INEC to do the right thing and rescue democracy from the hands of usurpers. How do you come to a party and attempt to hijack the leadership on the same day? Which political platform is that done? The party constitution is clear about this; you have to spend at least two years in the ADC as an active member before you can aspire for any position. it is clear that the commission has not erred, Mr Ajibade said, adding “These people are hijackers and INEC must follow through on reverting to status quo ante bellum by recognising Nafiu Bala Gombe as the national chairman of the party.”

Also speaking during the protest, Mr Gombe insisted that due process must be followed in resolving the leadership dispute.

“We are here to urge INEC to follow due process. You cannot come to the ADC through the window and expect to overturn the owners of the ADC. As democrats, we don’t want any moneybags to come and destroy democracy. The ADC is for all Nigerians from wards, states to national levels,” he said.