Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri has formally defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), ending months of speculation and delivering a major political blow to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In a statewide broadcast on Friday, the Adamawa State governor confirmed that he and members of his cabinet had moved to the ruling party. He said the decision was taken to accelerate development and act in the best interest of the people of Adamawa.
The announcement followed days of visible political signals in Yola, the state capital. Major roads were lined with fresh APC billboards and flags, while PDP banners were quietly removed. Along the busy Yola International Airport road, APC colours replaced PDP insignia, fuelling rumours that had circulated since last year.
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Talk of a defection first surfaced in 2024 when the Adamawa APC spokesman, Mohammed Abdullahi, revealed that negotiations were underway. He had predicted that Fintiri would join the ruling party before the 2027 general elections, describing discussions as advanced and backed by respected political figures.
In December 2025, APC North-East National Vice Chairman Mustapha Salihu confirmed that talks were ongoing, saying politics was about numbers and that the party would welcome the governor.
A PDP member of the House of Representatives from Adamawa, speaking anonymously, claimed the move had been formally communicated to top PDP figures. He alleged that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s planned visit to the state formed part of the negotiations, offering what he described as “presidential recognition” for the governor.
The lawmaker further claimed that efforts to bring Fintiri into the APC began during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, with honours and awards used as incentives. He argued that Fintiri’s performance record made him an attractive political asset.
However, the same source ruled out the possibility of PDP National Assembly members automatically following the governor to the APC, suggesting some lawmakers would seek alternative platforms.
Reacting before the formal announcement, Adamawa PDP Publicity Secretary Victor Dogo had dismissed the speculation, insisting that party members were focused on governance rather than street displays. He maintained that political association was a matter of personal choice.
Security was tight across Yola ahead of President Tinubu’s visit, his first to Adamawa since the 2023 campaign season, when he held a rally near the residence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. Armoured vehicles and armed personnel were stationed at key junctions, while road medians were repainted in preparation for the visit.
Fintiri, born on 27 October 1967, has been governor of Adamawa since 2019. He previously served as Speaker of the Adamawa State House of Assembly and briefly acted as governor in 2014 following the impeachment of Governor Murtala Nyako.
His 2019 election victory was initially declared inconclusive before he secured 376,552 votes in a supplementary poll to defeat incumbent Bindo Jibrilla of the APC. He repeated the pattern in 2023, winning re-election after another inconclusive vote, defeating Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed, widely known as Binani.
In March 2024, Fintiri launched a cash support scheme for small-scale entrepreneurs and has received national recognition, including the Nigeria Excellence Awards in Public Service Governor of the Year Award on Urban Infrastructure 2025.
His defection reshapes Adamawa’s political map and strengthens the APC’s hold in the North-East. Whether it consolidates his influence or sparks further fragmentation within the PDP remains to be seen
