Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State has defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a 14-minute statewide broadcast from his new office, Ahmadu Fintiri announced that he had defected along with members of his cabinet and all PDP officials, explaining that the move was taken in the developmental interest of the people of Adamawa State.
Shortly after the address, Peoples Democratic Party flags were taken down from the governor’s office and other parts of the Government House.
He said, “Fellow citizens of Adamawa State, I address you today in this manner due to the magnitude of what we have at stake, the regard we have for you and the consistent support we have always enjoyed from you.
“In 2019, you voted for us overwhelmingly against an incumbent. In 2023, you repeated the same feat with even greater strength in spite of all odds. We have remained popular in your hearts, and so has our party, the PDP. We are conscious of the moral burden imposed on our shoulders by your collective mandate.”
Ahmadu Fintiri said his decision to defect to the APC alongside members of his cabinet, PDP officials and supporters was taken in what he described as the best developmental interest of the people of Adamawa State.
“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 energy and political machinery to confer benefits on our state, the nation and our people. I therefore call on all our supporters to fit in, register massively in the APC and gear up for a future that is assured.”
“Recent events in the polity demand that we take decisive and strategic decisions. There are seasons for political exigencies just as there are seasons for political expedience. We have come this far and built so much with the people that we are ready to move further to align our polity with national politics.
“It is on this basis that we have never, as a government, ventured into anything that does not grow our dear state or directly benefit our people. We have always been guided by the triple principles of consultation, legality and impact.
“As democrats, we consult with the people. As citizens, we interrogate how every decision we make aligns with extant laws; and as leaders, we weigh the impact of every decision on the state and our people.
“The decision to leave the PDP and join the APC was not taken lightly. It was not driven by personal ambition nor by convenience. It was guided by one overriding consideration: the long-term stability, development and prosperity of Adamawa State.”
Fintiri further disclosed that after wide consultations with a broad spectrum of Adamawa people, “we have resolved to politically align Adamawa State with the All Progressives Congress.”
The governor said the new political alignment would position Adamawa State to fully align with and leverage the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which, he noted is focused on transforming the nation across key sectors, including social welfare, infrastructure, housing and inclusive economic development.
“It was the late Senate President, Dr Chuba Okadigbo, who once said, ‘It takes political sagacity to know political arithmetic.’ In our case, we have been long enough in this game to know the value of our strength and the right steps to take. This isn’t elementary arithmetic; it is political geometry that places every number in its right place.
“In ideal democracies, alignments that confer mutual advantages are constant norms. Our alignment with the APC is a testament to strategic adaptability. It is sagacity in action. This is a reciprocally beneficial decision that reflects a pragmatic approach to politics — conferring electoral value while delivering democratic dividends to the people,” he stated.
Fintiri said his decision to join the APC meant the years of sideline politics were over and that Adamawa State was back in mainstream politics, “a politics that will benefit it more than ever before. It means more opportunities for the state and more stake for our people. These, for us, are the main motivations that define our calling to politics.”
Speaking to journalists, the chairman of the Commissioners’ Forum in Adamawa State, Mr Aloysius Babadoke, disclosed that all commissioners in the state had formally joined the APC.
“Wherever our governor goes, we are going with him because he is a trusted leader and he has the mind to develop Adamawa State and unite the people through his people-oriented policies,” he said.
The governor was registered in the APC with membership card number 001.
Ahead of the governor’s defection, 15 out of the 16 elected members on the PDP platform in the state House of Assembly on Wednesday defected to the APC alongside the Speaker, Bathiya Wesley.
Speculation over Fintiri’s defection first emerged in 2024 when the Adamawa State APC Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Mohammed Abdullahi, confirmed that the party was making efforts to woo the governor to join the APC.
The rumours intensified when President Bola Tinubu paid a visit to the state this month to commission projects in Yola.
