The Speaker of the Adamawa State House of Assembly, Bathiya Wesley, on Wednesday announced his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), alongside 14 other lawmakers, citing the crisis at the party’s national level.
The development followed the earlier resignation of the lawmaker representing Girei State Constituency, Abubakar Abdullahi, who stepped down during Tuesday’s plenary.
Reading the resignation letters on the floor of the House, Wesley stated that all the affected lawmakers gave the same reason for their decision.
“All the letters contained the same message. The PDP members cited the crisis at the national level of the party as the main reason for their decision to quit,” he said.
He added that the lawmakers expressed gratitude to the PDP for the opportunity to contest and win elections on its platform.
“They commended the PDP for giving them the opportunity to contest and win elections on the platform of the party,” Wesley noted.
The Speaker’s Chief Press Secretary, Bernard Hyelamada, said the defecting lawmakers had yet to decide on their next political party.
“Governor Ahmadu Fintiri is our leader. He has not directed us on which party to join, so we are waiting for his directive,” Hyelamada said.
Among those who resigned are Deputy Speaker Mohammed Buba Jada-Mbulo and members representing various constituencies, including Kefas Calvin Toungo (Kefas), Bulus Geoffrey Leko (Koma), Haruna Jilantikiri (Madagali), Kefas Emmanuel (Song), Ahmed Jingi (Belel), and Moses Yerima Zah (Michika).
Others are Kate Raymond (Mamuno), Pwamwakeno Mackondo (Numan), Adun John Uba (Gaya), Bulus Kantom (Shelleng), Musa Mahmud (Mayo Belwa), and Japhet Hammanjabu (Verre). The only PDP lawmaker remaining in the House is Bauna Myandasa, representing Lamurde Constituency.
Sources disclosed that the lawmakers held a closed-door meeting with Governor Fintiri at the Government House in Yola for over two hours before Wednesday’s plenary session.
Earlier, Senator Binos Yaroe, representing Adamawa South, also resigned from the PDP, attributing his decision to the party’s internal crisis.
“I wish to inform you of the withdrawal of my membership of the PDP with immediate effect. This is due to the fractured state of the party at the national level. I remain grateful for the opportunity the party gave me to represent the people of Adamawa South senatorial district,” he wrote.
Sources further revealed that Yaroe is expected to join the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as he seeks to secure his senatorial ticket ahead of the 2027 elections.
A source close to him also claimed that former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, who is reportedly considering a presidential bid on the ADC platform, had assured Yaroe of support for his return to the Senate.
Meanwhile, the Adamawa PDP Publicity Secretary, Victor Dogo, said all PDP members of the National Assembly from the state would follow Governor Fintiri should he decide to defect.
The governor had recently stated at a public event that he would leave the PDP if his supporters and constituents asked him to do so.
