Madaki’s entry signals death of PDP in Adamawa – APC Stakeholders
•Vow to bury party in 2027
• As PDP dismisses Madaki as a lone ranger
Critical stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Adamawa State have declared that the defection of Chief Joel H. Madaki, former Chairman and one of the founding fathers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), marks the political death of the PDP in the state.
The declaration was made on Tuesday at Ribadu Square, Yola, during a grand reception organised by the APC in honour of Chief Madaki, who officially dumped the PDP to join the ruling party.
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The event, which drew prominent party leaders, witnessed an impressive turnout of supporters as thousands of party men from the 21 local governments of the state attended the occasion signifying what many described as a “turning point” in Adamawa politics.
Among the APC heavyweights who graced the event were the Deputy National Chairman (North), Ali Dalori; North-East National Vice Chairman, Comrade Mustapha Salihu; former Senator Binta Masi Garba; former Deputy Governor Martins Babale; Senator Bello Tukur; and Mustapha Atiku Ribadu, among others.
The stakeholders, described Madaki’s defection as “the final nail in the coffin of PDP in Adamawa State.”
They noted that with the coming of Chief Joel Madaki to APC fold, the PDP has lost its moral and historical foundation in Adamawa adding that what remains is just the shell, which they shall finally intern come 2027.
The stakeholders hailed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his “courageous economic reforms and the gradual relief” Nigerians are experiencing as a result of recent policies, insisting that the APC remains the only credible vehicle for Nigeria’s prosperity.
In his speech, Chief Joel H. Madaki, who served as PDP Chairman for over a decade and who served as Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri’s senior adviser, said his defection followed “deep reflection” over the collapse of internal democracy in the PDP.
He recalled being one of six founding fathers of the PDP in Adamawa alongside former President of the African Business Roundtable Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, late Governor Wilberforce Juta, the late Alhaji Ali Baba, and Professor Jibril Aminu.
Madaki lamented that the party had “derailed from the ideals and manifesto” of its founders, saying that self-interest, in-fighting, and lack of vision had plunged it into “a sinking mode.”
“I will not allow myself to be a passenger in a sinking ship. After consulting widely, I decided to pitch my tent with the APC, a party that is deliberate in its policies for the upliftment of Nigerians,” Madaki said.
He praised President Tinubu’s administration for infrastructural strides in Adamawa, citing the establishment of the Federal University of Agriculture, Mubi; construction of Jabbilamba–Belel Road; the approval of a Police College in Fufore; and the new NDLEA barracks, which he described as one of the best in Africa.
Madaki also lauded the appointment of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu as National Security Adviser, saying it had placed Adamawa “at the pinnacle of national politics.”
However, in a swift reaction, the Adamawa State PDP Chairman, Hamza Madagali, dismissed Madaki’s defection as inconsequential, describing him as “a lone ranger.”
Speaking after a stakeholders’ meeting at the Government House, Yola, Madagali said: “Madaki left alone. The PDP in Fufore is intact. None of our critical stakeholders has defected with him. His so-called movement is a voyage of self-delusion.”
Madagali maintained that the PDP remains strong and united in Adamawa State, assuring supporters that the party would “reclaim its pride” come 2027 despite the defection.
