Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri has officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), bringing months of speculation about his political future to an end.
Fintiri announced the decision in a statewide broadcast on Friday in Yola, the Adamawa State capital. He said he took the step after wide consultations with stakeholders across the state. According to him, the move will reposition Adamawa at the centre of national politics.
“Today in Yola, I took a decisive step for Adamawa’s future,” he said. “After wide consultation, we are aligning with the APC to return our state to the centre of national politics and leverage the Renewed Hope Agenda for real gains.”
‘Mandate Remains Sacred’
However, Fintiri assured residents that his defection does not alter the mandate they gave him in 2019 and renewed in 2023.
“In 2019, you voted for us overwhelmingly against an incumbent. In 2023, you repeated the same feat with even greater strength,” he said. “The mandate of 2019 and 2023 remains sacred. Platforms may shift; our covenant with the people stands.”
Although he acknowledged the PDP’s support over the years, he stressed that current political realities required firm and strategic action.
He said: “Recent events in the polity demand that we take strategic decisions.”
‘Full Political Structure Moving’
Furthermore, Fintiri declared that he is not moving alone. He said he is taking his entire political structure into the APC.
“We have structures everywhere. We are moving into the APC with all the 226 wards, 21 local government areas, all elected and appointed members and indeed our political machinery,” he said.
He then urged supporters across the state to register massively with the APC and prepare for what he described as a new political phase.
“Adamawa is back at the table,” he declared.
Strategic Realignment
In addition, the governor framed the defection as a deliberate and calculated realignment with national politics. He emphasised that his administration has always anchored its decisions on consultation, legality and impact.
“As democrats, we consult the people, align with extant laws and weigh the impact of every decision,” he said.
To reinforce his point, he quoted the late former senate president, Chuba Okadigbo: “It takes political sagacity to know political arithmetic.”
He argued that the decision reflects political pragmatism and adaptability.
“Our alignment with the APC is sagacity in action. It is a reciprocally beneficial decision that confers electoral value while delivering democratic dividends,” he said.
APC Now Controls 30 States
Consequently, Fintiri’s defection raises the number of states under APC control to 30. The development further strengthens the ruling party’s dominance across the federation.
Ultimately, Fintiri maintained that the realignment will open new opportunities for Adamawa and deepen collaboration with the federal government.
“It means more opportunities for the state and more stake for our people,” he said.
