Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State has officially defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), marking a dramatic political shift that returns the state to the control of the ruling party.
Fintiri formally picked up his APC membership card on Friday at K/Wuro Ngayandi Ward in Madagali Local Government Area, sealing weeks of speculations about his political future.
His defection came barely 48 hours after the Speaker of the Adamawa State House of Assembly, Bathiya Wesley, resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) alongside 13 other lawmakers, signaling a major realignment in the state’s political structure.
Behind-the-Scenes Talks
Before making his move public, Fintiri had held a series of strategic meetings with APC chieftains.
On Wednesday, the APC National Vice Chairman (North East), Mustapha Salihu, led key party stakeholders in the region to a closed-door meeting with the governor at the Government House in Yola.
One of the participants described the engagement as a step toward broader political cooperation.
“The meeting reflects a shared commitment to dialogue, unity, and the collective progress of Adamawa State. It served as an opportunity to engage on key developmental issues and strengthen cooperation for the benefit of the people. Together, leadership and collaboration remain the foundation for building a more peaceful, stable, and prosperous Adamawa,” the attendee posted on social media.
A Full Circle Moment
Fintiri’s defection effectively restores Adamawa to APC control. The party previously governed the state under former Governor Jibrilla Bindow until 2019, when Fintiri—then of the PDP—defeated Bindow’s re-election bid.
A former Speaker of the Adamawa State House of Assembly, Fintiri consolidated his political standing in 2023 after a fiercely contested governorship race against Senator Aisha Dahiru of the APC.
The election was thrown into controversy when Barrister Yunusa Ari, then Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), declared Dahiru winner while collation was still ongoing. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) subsequently intervened, removed Ari, sanitised the process, and ultimately affirmed Fintiri as the duly elected governor.
APC Tightens Grip in North East
With Fintiri’s defection, the APC now controls all but one state in the North East geopolitical zone.
Borno, Gombe, Yobe, Taraba and Adamawa are now under APC leadership, leaving Bauchi as the lone PDP-controlled state in the region.
Political observers say the governor’s switch is likely to reshape alliances ahead of future elections and further consolidate APC’s dominance in the North East.
