Adamawa Speaker Says He Won't Leave APC for APM

The Speaker of Adamawa State House of Assembly, Bathiya Wesley, has dismissed claims that he plans to leave the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Action People’s Movement (APM).

This rumour surfaced just a day after the former Speaker of the Adamawa State House of Assembly, Kabiru Mijinyawa, and many of his supporters switched from the APC to the APM.

Mijinyawa accused the APC of being undemocratic, saying it operates like a private estate controlled by a few people, which harms the party's growth.

His departure from the APC followed shortly after a group of party leaders, led by Tahir Shehu, defected to the APM.

In an exclusive chat with PUNCH Online on Tuesday in Yola, an APC executive member, who preferred to remain anonymous, claimed that the Speaker's defection was about securing a House of Representatives ticket. He stated that the Speaker was denied the chance to run on the APC ticket.

"The Speaker is defecting to pick his National Assembly ticket in APM. He was contesting for House of Representatives, but some people used their office powers to push him away," he said.

"If the Speaker goes to APM, he will win his election without stress. His people like him more than any politician in Hong constituency, and he is doing his job well," he added.

Responding to these claims, the Speaker's Press Secretary, Bernard Hyellamada, called the rumours false. He stated that the Speaker has no plans to leave the APC after working hard to promote the party.

"Let me tell you clearly that the Speaker is not going anywhere. He will remain in APC until after the 2027 general elections," he said.

The APC executive member also mentioned that the problems within the Adamawa State chapter of the APC began during the primary elections. He alleged that candidates were chosen without following the correct procedures.

PUNCH Online learned that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faction in the APC might use the 21 local government chairmen and 206 ward councillors elected under the PDP as a key factor in the 2027 general elections in Adamawa State.