In just three days, seven provincial heads from Turkey’s ruling AKP have announced their resignations, each expressing loyalty to the party and its leader, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
The wave of resignations began in Elazığ and was quickly followed by Muğla, Adıyaman, Niğde, Bitlis, Çanakkale, and Ordu. The trend, which started on Sept. 18, appears likely to continue. However, it remains unclear whether the resignations are part of an internal reorganization or a purge of officials facing misconduct allegations.
In Elazığ, long-serving provincial head Şerafettin Yıldırım stepped down after a video allegedly showing his son using drugs went viral on social media.
Adıyaman provincial chair Faruk Bülent Kablan, announcing his resignation via social media, stated: “As a devoted member of our AKP, I will continue to work for our cause by following the lead of our President and Party Chairman, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and remain at the service of our organization.” AKP Ordu Chair Selman Altaş made similar remarks.
Niğde Chair Mustafa Özdemir said he resigned voluntarily at the request of party headquarters, a statement echoed by his counterpart in Bitlis. Çanakkale head Ömer Faruk Göktürk cited health concerns for his departure.
