Austin Orette, Nigerian-American physician and ADC candidate, dies in Houston

Dr. Austin Avuigwerie Orette, a Nigerian-American family medicine physician and political reformer, has passed away in Houston, Texas. His death was announced by media strategist Henry Ovie Ebireri on Saturday, October 24, 2026.

Orette was the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate for the Delta South Senatorial District in the upcoming 2027 National Assembly elections. A graduate of the University of Nigeria College of Medicine in Enugu, he practiced medicine for over four decades across Nigeria and the United States. In Houston, his medical career spanned more than 30 years, with affiliations including Memorial Hermann Health System, Altus Baytown Hospital, and Cleveland Emergency Hospital.

In the political sphere, Orette was a vocal advocate for governance reform and national security. His recent political trajectory included being a founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State, defecting to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in early 2026, and eventually joining the ADC. He had recently been involved in legal action against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) regarding his candidacy.