Fintiri Defects to APC, Reshaping Adamawa Political Landscape
By Ojoma Yusuf,Yola
Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri has formally defected from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing the move as a strategic decision taken in the best interest of Adamawa State and its people.
The announcement, made during a statewide broadcast on Friday in Yola, signals a major political realignment in the North-East state and is expected to significantly alter party dynamics ahead of future elections.
Fintiri said the decision followed “wide consultations with a large spectrum of our people” and was anchored on the need to align Adamawa politically with the federal government to unlock greater development opportunities.
The governor, who first assumed office in 2019 and won reelection in 2023, reflected on what he described as the moral weight of the mandate given to him by voters.
“We have never ventured into anything that does not grow our dear state or directly benefit our people,” he said, citing achievements in security, infrastructure development, healthcare expansion, education support, youth and women empowerment programmes, and the creation of new chiefdoms and districts.
He maintained that the defection was neither driven by personal ambition nor political convenience, but by “one overriding consideration: the long-term stability, development and prosperity of Adamawa State.”
According to Fintiri, closer ties with the ruling party at the federal level would enhance collaboration, increase federal presence, and accelerate development interventions in the state.
Political analysts note that alignment with the centre has often played a decisive role in shaping access to federal partnerships and national influence within Nigeria’s political system.
In a show of political strength, the governor declared that the PDP structure under his leadership across the state’s 226 wards and 21 local government areas would move with him to the APC, including elected and appointed officials.
“We are moving as a collective, with the required political strength and the numbers that confer value,” he said, urging supporters to register massively with the APC and prepare for what he termed a “guaranteed future.”
Fintiri characterized the move as a strategic recalibration rather than a rupture, invoking the late Senate President Chuba Okadigbo’s remarks on “political sagacity” and describing the decision as “political geometry that places every number in its right place.”
He added that the shift marks the end of what he called years of “sideline politics,” positioning Adamawa within mainstream national politics where it can attract broader collaboration and investment.
Despite the change in party affiliation, the governor reassured residents that his administration’s development priorities remain intact. He pledged sustained investment in roads, schools, and hospitals; job creation; scholarships and bursaries; and policies aimed at strengthening unity and peaceful coexistence.
“This is more than a promise. It is a sacred covenant,” Fintiri said, emphasizing that while the political platform may change, his commitment to service delivery remains constant.
Observers say the defection represents a watershed moment in Adamawa’s political evolution, one that could redefine alliances and electoral strategies in the state in the years ahead.
