Eight members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), including the Speaker of the Adamawa State House of Assembly, Bathiya Wesley, have defected from the governing party, marking a significant shift in the state’s political landscape. The announcements made during Wednesday’s plenary session bring the total number of PDP lawmakers who have left the party in three consecutive days to fifteen.
The wave of defections began on Monday, February 23, when one legislator resigned, followed by six more on Tuesday, February 24. Wednesday’s departures include prominent figures such as the House Majority Leader, Kate Raymond Mamuno, who represents Demsa Local Government Area, and Moses Yerima Zah of Michika Constituency. Other members who resigned are Pwamwakeno Mackondo (Numan), Adun John Alaba (Uba Gaya), Bulus Kantom (Shelleng), Musa Mahmud Kallamu (Mayo Belwa), and Japhet Hammanjabu (Verre).
All departing lawmakers cited the ongoing crisis within the PDP at the national level as their reason for leaving, echoing the explanations given by their colleagues earlier in the week. Their collective exit significantly diminishes the PDP’s numerical strength in the 25-member Assembly.
These defections had been widely anticipated in political circles, with even internal PDP voices in the state suggesting that most of the party’s prominent elected officials were poised to leave. The development coincides with strong indications that the state governor, Rt Hon Ahmadu Fintiri, is also preparing to leave the PDP. Governor Fintiri is widely reported to be planning a move to the main opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The cumulative effect of these exits points to a major realignment in Adamawa State politics ahead of the 2027 general election cycle. The departure of the Assembly leadership, coupled with the expected defection of the governor, threatens to cripple the PDP’s organisational structure and legislative influence in the state. Observers note that the final numbers crossing to the APC could determine the immediate balance of power in the House and reshape campaign dynamics for future elections across the North East region. Formal notifications to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are expected in the coming days.
