Political tensions are rising in Adamawa State after the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Bathiya Wesley, and 14 other lawmakers resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), citing the lingering crisis at the party’s national level.
The wave of resignations followed Tuesday’s decision by the lawmaker representing Girei State Constituency, Alhaji Abubakar Abdullahi, to step down from the party during plenary.
Reading the resignation letters on the floor of the House, Speaker Wesley said all the affected members pointed to internal instability within the PDP at the national level as the primary reason for their exit. Despite their decision, the lawmakers expressed appreciation to the party for providing them the platform to contest and win their elections.
The Speaker’s Chief Press Secretary, Bernard Hyelamada, confirmed that the lawmakers are yet to decide which political platform they will join next.
“Governor Ahmadu Fintiri is our leader. He has not directed us on which party to join, so we are awaiting his guidance,” Hyelamada said.
Among those who resigned are Deputy Speaker Mohammed Buba Jada-Mbulo and several other members representing various constituencies across the state.
Following the mass exit, only one PDP lawmaker, Bauna Myandasa of Lamurde Constituency, remains in the Assembly.
Sources revealed that the lawmakers held a closed-door meeting with Governor Fintiri at the Government House in Yola for over two hours before the plenary session where the resignations were announced.
The development has fueled speculation that the governor and his allies may be preparing to defect, possibly to the All Progressives Congress (APC), although no official announcement has been made.
Earlier, Senator Binos Yaroe, who represents Adamawa South, also resigned from the PDP, describing the party as fractured at the national level.
In his resignation letter, Yaroe expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve but said the internal divisions made his continued membership untenable.
Political insiders suggest Yaroe may be heading to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in a move aimed at securing his senatorial ticket ahead of the 2027 elections. Reports indicate that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who is also linked with the ADC, has assured him of support.
Meanwhile, Adamawa PDP Publicity Secretary Victor Dogo hinted that other PDP lawmakers at the National Assembly could follow suit if Governor Fintiri decides to leave the party.
At a recent public event, Fintiri stated that he would heed the wishes of his supporters if they asked him to move to another political platform, a comment that has further intensified speculation about an impending political realignment in the state.
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