Fresh political developments have rocked Adamawa State following the defection of the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Wesley Bathiya, and 14 other lawmakers from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The mass resignation, announced during plenary on Wednesday, has intensified speculations that Governor Umaru Fintiri may be on the verge of defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Although the governor has yet to publicly confirm his defection, political observers say the coordinated exit of the speaker and a majority bloc of the 25-member assembly signals a major realignment of political forces in the state.
Sources within the political circles in Yola, the state capital, indicated that the lawmakers’ move was part of a broader strategy to consolidate structures ahead of the governor’s anticipated switch to the ruling APC.
The development comes days after reports emerged that the APC leadership had shelved its planned state congresses in Adamawa State, a move widely interpreted as a concession to accommodate Gov. Fintiri and his political structure without internal resistance.
The decision reportedly sparked discontent among some APC stakeholders, who questioned the suspension of internal party processes to pave the way for a high-profile defection.
Read also:
- Gov. Fintiri slams “cowardly” attacks in Madagali, Hong
- Lawlessness is not new to me, Obi says of Edo attack
- Bauchi government approves N888.5 million for payment of external examination fees for public students
With 15 lawmakers, including the speaker, the balance of power in the assembly appears to have shifted significantly in favour of the APC, effectively transforming the legislature into an APC-dominated chamber.
However, the political position of the member representing Lamurde Constituency, Build Bauna, remains unclear.
He was neither visibly present nor publicly recorded during plenary proceedings where the resignations were announced, raising questions about his stance amid the sweeping defections.
Efforts to obtain official confirmation from the governor’s camp were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
Nonetheless, sources within both the PDP and APC suggested that the unfolding events were part of a calculated political recalibration that could redefine the state’s power configuration in the months leading to the next election cycle.
