Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State has defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), ending months of speculation over his political future.
Fintiri announced his defection on Friday in a 14-minute statewide broadcast from the Government House, stating that the decision was taken in the developmental interest of the people of Adamawa State.
He disclosed that he moved to the APC alongside his entire cabinet, elected officials, and party structures across the state, including all 226 wards and 21 local government areas.
“Recent events in the polity demand that we take decisive and strategic decisions,” the governor said, adding that the move was guided by the need to align the state with national political dynamics.
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He maintained that the decision was not driven by personal ambition but by the long-term stability, development, and prosperity of the state.
According to him, the alignment with the APC would enable Adamawa to effectively key into the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, particularly in areas such as infrastructure, social welfare, housing, and economic development.
Fintiri noted that after wide consultations with stakeholders across the state, the decision to leave the PDP was reached as a strategic step to reposition Adamawa within mainstream national politics.
He added that the move signals the end of what he described as “sideline politics,” stressing that the state now stands to gain more opportunities and stronger federal collaboration.
Shortly after the announcement, PDP flags were removed from the Government House, symbolizing the formal shift in political allegiance.
Speaking to journalists, Chairman of the Adamawa State Commissioners’ Forum, Aloysius Babadoke, confirmed that all commissioners in the state had joined the APC alongside the governor.
“Wherever our governor goes, we go with him. He is a trusted leader committed to the development and unity of Adamawa State,” he said.
In a related development, 15 out of the 16 members of the Adamawa State House of Assembly elected on the PDP platform, including the Speaker, Bathiya Wesley, had earlier defected to the APC.
Speculation about Fintiri’s defection had intensified in recent months, particularly following political engagements between the governor and APC stakeholders, as well as the recent visit of President Tinubu to the state.
The governor has since been registered as a member of the APC.