Dr Austin Avuigwerie Orette, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate for the Delta South Senatorial District in the 2027 general elections, has died in Houston, Texas, United States.
Orette’s death was announced in a statement signed by his media strategist, Henry Ovie Ebireri. The cause of his death was not disclosed as of the time of filing this report.
The late politician hailed from Owhelogbo in Isoko North Local Government Area of Delta State. Before venturing into politics, he practised medicine for several decades in Nigeria and the United States.
Orette was initially a founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State but left the party in early 2026 following disagreements over what he described as undemocratic practices.
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He subsequently joined the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), but his stay in the party was short-lived. He resigned in mid-2026 following disagreements over its primary elections before joining the ADC, where he secured the party’s ticket for the Delta South senatorial seat.
Before his death, Orette was involved in a legal dispute with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the omission of his name from the final list of candidates for the January 16, 2027 election.
He reportedly approached the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking ₦1 billion in damages from INEC, alleging that the commission wrongly excluded him despite his victory in the ADC direct primary, where he secured 10,950 votes.
His death comes as political parties and candidates prepare for the 2027 general elections.
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