Former Adamawa PDP Chairman Joel Madaki Defects to APC, Declares Opposition Party “Politically Dead”
By Ojoma Yusuf,Yola
Chief Joel H. Madaki, a founding member and former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Adamawa State, has officially defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), declaring that the PDP is “politically dead” in the state.
Madaki announced his decision on Tuesday during a grand reception held in his honour at Ribadu Square, Yola. The event, organized by the APC, drew several high-profile politicians, including former Deputy Governor Martins Babale, Senator Bello Tukur, Masi Garba, and Mustapha Atiku Ribadu.
APC leaders described Madaki’s defection as a turning point in Adamawa’s political landscape, calling it “the final nail in the coffin of the PDP in the state.” They argued that with his exit, the PDP had lost its moral compass and historical foundation. “What remains of the PDP is just a shell, which will finally be buried come 2027,” one of the speakers remarked.
Party stakeholders also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his “bold economic reforms” and the “gradual relief” being felt across the country as a result of his policies, insisting that the APC remains the only credible vehicle for Nigeria’s progress.
Explaining his reasons for leaving the PDP, Chief Madaki said his decision followed “deep reflection” on the state of the party, which he accused of abandoning its founding principles and internal democracy.
“I will not allow myself to be a passenger in a sinking ship,” Madaki said. “After consulting widely, I decided to pitch my tent with the APC — a party deliberate in its policies for the upliftment of Nigerians.”
Madaki recalled that he was one of the six founding fathers of the PDP in Adamawa, alongside former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former President of the African Business Roundtable Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, the late Governor Wilberforce Juta, the late Alhaji Ali Baba, and Professor Jibril Aminu.
He accused the current PDP leadership of being consumed by self-interest, internal wrangling, and a lack of vision, saying these factors had reduced the party to a shadow of its former self.
The former PDP chairman also praised the appointment of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu as National Security Adviser, describing it as a development that has positioned Adamawa “at the pinnacle of national politics.”
Political analysts in the state say Madaki’s defection — given his influence and long-standing role in shaping Adamawa’s political history — is a major boost for the APC as it prepares for the 2027 general elections.
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