July 07, (THEWILL) — The entire structure of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Yobe State has collapsed into the African Democratic Congress (ADC), leaving only the party’s acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum, as the only member of the party in the state.
The mass defection, which happened over the weekend, involved state executives, local government officials, ward leaders, and hundreds of grassroots mobilisers, who jointly declared their exit from the PDP, in what they called a “move to rescue Yobe from political dormancy.”
Flanked by ADC chieftains at a well-attended rally in Damaturu, former PDP State Chairman, Sani Bello, described the move as “long overdue”, accusing the national leadership of the PDP of “abandoning the North and suffocating internal democracy.”
“We have collectively lost confidence in the PDP. Our new political home, the ADC, offers us a platform for transparency, inclusion, and true representation of Yobe’s interest”, Bello told cheering supporters.
“Today marks a new beginning for our party in Yobe. With the political machinery of the PDP now with us, the game has changed”, Yobe ADC Chairman, Mohammed Umar, said.
Meanwhile, Paul Ibe, the media aide to former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, disclosed that the PDP structures in Yobe, Gombe and Adamawa states have collapsed into the ADC.
Ibe, who confirmed that the PDP executives in the northern states had aligned with the new political alliance under the ADC, said: “The movement is gaining traction. Atiku Abubakar will continue to provide direction to ensure the coalition evolves into a formidable, robust, and viable platform. Having achieved that, you can already see the results. The Yobe PDP executive has aligned with the ADC, as has Gombe’s. The Adamawa executives have also pledged their loyalty. The movement is gaining momentum.”
Although the national leadership has yet to officially respond to the defection. However, party insiders say emergency meetings are being considered to review the situation.
The Chairman of the PDP State Chairmen Forum (PDPSCF) and Imo State PDP Chairman, Austin Nwachukwu, described reports of defections as ‘good riddance,’ insisting that the PDP remains strong and united.
“The chairmen of Yobe and Borno vehemently denied these claims. These are fake news designed to attract public sympathy. Many of these politicians are over 70 years old. What are they still looking for? Retirement funds, not service to the nation. Many of those who left have returned to the PDP. We wish those in the ADC well, but the PDP is stronger than ever”, he said.
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