CLEMENT EKONG writes on the inaugural meeting of the new leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Adamawa State at which the Hamza Madagali-led state executive briefed stakeholders on modalities for grassroots mobilisation
The newly-inaugurated executive committee of the Adamawa State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) recently held its first meeting with the aim of strengthening and repositioning the party’s structures ahead of the 2027 general election.
The meeting which took place at the party’s secretariat in Yola was presided over by the new chairman, Alhaji Hamza Madagali, who briefed PDP chairmen in the 21 local government areas of the state on moralities for grassroots mobilization. Also at the meeting were youth and women leaders as well as other key stakeholders of the party in the state. Madagali, in his address, stressed the need to enhance party unity, improve coordination, and deepen grassroots participations.
He expressed gratitude to party members for the confidence reposed in him, pledging to run an open, transparent and inclusive administration that will unite all members towards a common purpose. According to him, “our mission is to restore full confidence in the PDP family, consolidate our gains, and ensure that the party remains the preferred choice for the people of Adamawa State.”
Madagali further emphasized that the PDP in Adamawa State has a proud history of leadership and development that must be sustained through collective efforts and internal discipline. He reaffirmed the party’s commitment to supporting the administration of Governor Ahmadu Fintiri and maintaining the PDP’s legacy of people-centered governance, infrastructural development, and social inclusion.
Addressing the press after the meeting, the State Publicity Secretary of the party, Dr. Victor Dogo, described the gathering as “fruitful.” He revealed that an actionable agenda has been set to “hit the ground running.”
Dogo emphasized that among the immediate priorities of the new executive of the party is to commence a reconciliation process and to protect the interest of all members. He however admitted that “this focus on reconciliation appears to be a direct response to internal frictions and recent defections of some PDP members to other political parties in the state.” Expressing optimism over the party’s prospects, Dogo asserted that “the PDP will not only continue to lead Adamawa State but is also poised to take over the country in 2027.”
Various committees were inaugurated to review the party’s organizational framework, strengthen communication between the state and local government structures, and mobilize new members, especially youths and women. Stakeholders described the meeting as a positive signal of renewed energy and direction for the PDP in Adamawa State.
They expressed confidence that, with strategic coordination and inclusiveness, the party will consolidate its political dominance ahead of the next election cycle. The meeting concluded with a renewed pledge of loyalty to the national leadership of the PDP and a collective commitment to work for the continuous growth and stability of the party in Adamawa State.
The PDP will not only continue to lead Adamawa State but is also poised to take over the country in 2027
Meanwhile, stakeholders and members of the PDP in Mayo-Belwa Local Government Area of state have expressed dissatisfaction over alleged irregularities claimed to have marred the recent party congress in the area. Addressing journalists during a press conference, Chief Elphas Irimiya Dabo, who led the aggrieved stakeholders, accused the chairman of Mayo-Belwa, Mahmud Kallamu of disregarding Governor Fintiri’s directive to correct the anomalies observed during the congress.
Dabo explained that after some stakeholders raised concerns about the conduct of the congress, they met with the governor, who directed that all parties return to the drawing board to ensure fairness and inclusivity. According to him, “we all promised Governor Fintiri that we would go back and do the right thing, but to our greatest surprise, nothing happened. The issues remain unresolved, and the governor’s directive has not been implemented.”
Describing the action of the local government chairman as a deliberate attempt to undermine internal democracy and a dent on the image of the PDP in Mayo-Belwa, he maintained that their protest is a call for justice and adherence to the governor’s instruction. He further alleged that decisions that should have involved over 2,000 party members were taken by only two individuals, warning that such imposition could affect the party’s performance in future elections.
“If these irregularities are not corrected, the PDP will not make any headway in Mayo-Belwa. We love this party, but democracy must prevail,” he added. Dabo also drew attention to the consequences of similar impositions in the past, citing the 2023 state Assembly election losses as example of how such undemocratic tendencies could jeopardize the party’s success.
He called on Governor Fintiri and the newly-elected state chairman of the party, Madagali, to intervene urgently to restore peace and fairness in the local government chapter of the party. O t h e r speakers at the press conference, i n c l u d i n g Mallam Mohammed Jika Buba from Ribadu ward and Mallam Aminu Hamman, a former chairman of Tola ward, e x p r e s s e d concern over the failure to i m p l e m e n t the governor’s directive.
They described it as disrespect to the party leadership and detrimental to internal harmony. Similarly, Malam Abdullahi Mai Kano from Ganfada ward revealed that 10 stakeholders from each of the 12 wards attended the meeting to represent aggrieved members who felt sidelined during the congress. Mrs. Minta Elam, a former spokesperson in Mayo-Belwa, decried what she described as the marginalisation of loyal members who have been with the party since 1999, while newcomers are allegedly imposed as leaders.
Other speakers, including Hon. Danjuma Boniface from Ribadu ward and Mallam Umar Yaro from Binyeri ward, warned that the continued dominance of a few individuals could destroy the party’s base in the area. They regretted that no member of the opposition parties such as the APC, Labour Party, or ADC had defected to the PDP recently due to what they termed “anti-people leadership” in MayoBelwa.
According to the stakeholders, Governor Fintiri, during the PDP stakeholders’ meeting before the congress, directed that executive positions from ward to local government levels be rotated, especially for those who had completed eight years in office, to strengthen the party’s structure. The aggrieved stakeholders urged the governor to ensure that his directive is implemented in the spirit of fairness and democracy to prevent further division in the PDP ahead of future elections.
