The Speaker of the Adamawa State House of Assembly, Bathiya Wesley, has denied rumours that he is planning to dump the All Progressives Congress for the Allied People’s Movement.
The rumour surfaced barely 24 hours after the former Speaker of the state House of Assembly and serving member representing Yola South State Constituency, Kabiru Mijinyawa, defected from the APC to the APM with thousands of his supporters.
Mijinyawa accused the APC of practising autocracy instead of democracy, alleging that the party’s Adamawa State chapter was being run as a private estate by a few individuals to the detriment of its progress.
His defection came two days after hundreds of APC chieftains, led by Tahir Shehu, also defected to the APM.
Speaking exclusively to The PUNCH in Yola on Tuesday, an APC executive member, who asked not to be named because he was not authorised to speak to journalists, said Wesley was planning to join the APM to secure a House of Representatives ticket.
“The Speaker is defecting to pick his National Assembly ticket in the APM. He was contesting for the House of Representatives ticket, but some people used their office to frustrate him.
If the Speaker defects to the APM, he will win his election without stress. His people like him more than any other politician in his constituency and he is performing his constitutional duties perfectly,” he said.
However, the Speaker’s Press Secretary, Bernard Hyellamada, dismissed the rumour as false.
He said Wesley had no intention of abandoning the APC after investing his energy and resources in promoting the party.
“Let me tell you categorically that the Speaker is not going anywhere. He will remain in the APC until after the 2027 general elections,” he said.
The APC executive member blamed the crisis in the Adamawa chapter on the party’s primary elections, alleging that candidates were selected without regard for the rule of law.
“The big Abuja politicians and those based in Adamawa were using their influence to write the names of their preferred candidates. But before the general elections, see the troubles. They are speaking grammar that has no political meaning,” he said.
Investigation revealed that the Peoples Democratic Party faction within the APC may rely on the 21 local government chairmen and 206 ward councillors elected on the PDP platform as a deciding factor in the 2027 general elections in Adamawa State.
