Breaking: Mass Defection Rocks Adamawa Assembly as Speaker, 14 Others Dump PDP

Breaking: Mass Defection Rocks Adamawa Assembly as Speaker, 14 Others Dump PDP

In a major political upheaval, the Speaker of the Adamawa State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Bathiya Wesley, along with 14 other lawmakers, has officially resigned their membership from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the platform on which they were elected to office.

The mass resignation was announced on the floor of the House during plenary on Wednesday. Speaker Wesley, who personally read most of the resignation letters on behalf of the affected members, cited “lingering irreconcilable issues within the ranks of the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party” as the primary reason for their decision to leave.

The development has drastically altered the political composition of the state legislature, stripping the PDP of its majority just months after the general elections.

Speaking to journalists shortly after the plenary session, the Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Hon. Musa Kallamu, confirmed that the lawmakers’ decision to part ways with the party was a direct consequence of the internal crisis plaguing the national body of the PDP.

“It stems from the differences within the party national body,” Hon. Kallamu stated, emphasizing that the decision was made in the interest of political stability and alignment with current realities.

When pressed on whether the mass defection is linked to speculations regarding Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri’s alleged plan to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Kallamu did not deny the possibility. He suggested that the lawmakers remain loyal to the Governor’s political leadership.

“As democrats, we have always been with the Governor. Therefore, if the Governor moves, we will certainly move with him,” Kallamu said, fueling further speculation about an imminent cross-carpeting by the state’s chief executive.

The mass resignation in Adamawa mirrors a growing trend across Nigeria in recent weeks, where several high-profile members of the PDP have defected to the ruling APC. This has triggered intense debate within political circles regarding the stability of party structures and ideological fidelity.

Political watchers, however, have viewed these recurring defections with concern. Many analysts argue that while the lawmakers have the constitutional right to switch parties, the constant movement undermines democratic ethos, which is fundamentally about the electorate’s choice and the representation of different ideologies. The frequent floor-crossing, they warn, could lead to political apathy among voters who feel their mandates have been subverted.