By Yusuf Salihu Sansani
Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State has formally defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing the move as a strategic decision taken in the best interest of the state and its citizens.
In a statewide broadcast delivered in Yola on Friday, February 27, 2026, Governor Fintiri said his defection followed extensive consultations and careful consideration, anchored on the need to safeguard stability, accelerate development, and secure greater prosperity for Adamawa State.
The governor recalled the overwhelming mandate given to him by the people in the 2019 and 2023 governorship elections, stressing that his administration remains deeply conscious of the trust reposed in him across both electoral victories.
Highlighting key achievements of his government, Fintiri pointed to improvements in security, the construction of roads, schools, hospitals, markets, and housing projects, as well as significant investments in education, water supply, and electricity.
He also cited youth and women empowerment programmes, alongside the creation of new chiefdoms, emirates, and districts, as deliberate efforts to promote inclusion and balanced development.
Governor Fintiri maintained that his administration has consistently been guided by constitutional principles, legality, and measurable impact in decision-making.
He noted that recent political developments at the national level necessitated what he described as a decisive and strategic realignment.
According to him, aligning with the APC would enable Adamawa State to better leverage the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, particularly in the areas of social welfare, infrastructure, housing, and inclusive economic growth.
The governor emphasized that his decision to leave the PDP was neither driven by personal ambition nor political convenience, but by what he termed an overriding need to reposition Adamawa State within mainstream national politics for enhanced opportunities and federal collaboration.
Fintiri further disclosed that the defection encompasses the full political structure of his administration across the 226 wards and 21 local government areas of the state.
With this development, all six states in Nigeria’s North-East geopolitical zone—Borno State, Yobe State, Bauchi State, Gombe State, Adamawa State, and Taraba State, are now under APC leadership.
It would be recalled that the Governor of Taraba State, Dr. Agbu Kefas, defected from the PDP to the APC on January 31, 2025, further reshaping the political landscape of the region.
