Governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, on Wednesday formalised his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC), declaring that the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has become a “depleted” political force.
Fintiri made the declaration during a courtesy visit to the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja. Describing his move as a “home return,” the governor pledged unwavering loyalty to the ruling party and assured its leadership of his commitment to strengthening its electoral prospects ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to him, his alignment with the APC is total and strategic.
“We have fully aligned with the APC. I am here officially to further pledge my full loyalty to the party and to assure the leadership that we have come to work. The PDP, as the largest opposition, seems to be depleted now,” he stated.
Fintiri also expressed strong confidence in President Bola Tinubu, endorsing him for a second term in office. He acknowledged that the administration’s macroeconomic reforms initially brought economic hardship due to their bold and far-reaching nature but maintained that the policies are beginning to produce positive outcomes.
“Judging by the work done by Mr President, he deserves a second term. The country is moving in the right direction. It is now agreed among us that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and I believe his re-election will be accepted by all Nigerians,” the governor said.
Welcoming Fintiri into the party, the APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, described him as a seasoned political figure whose leadership has delivered notable development in Adamawa State and across the Northeast region. He said the governor’s progressive orientation makes the APC a natural political platform for him.
Addressing concerns about the strength of the opposition ahead of the 2027 elections, the APC chairman dismissed suggestions that the ruling party should be worried about the absence of a formidable challenger. He maintained that it is the responsibility of opposition parties to organise themselves.
“It is the duty of the opposition to organise themselves; we are very happy if they can’t. Our duty is to ensure we win. We are presenting our scorecard to Nigerians, and they believe in us. You can see from the by-elections and off-season elections that APC has been winning consistently,” he said.
The visit coincided with a strategic meeting between the party leadership and several members of the Federal Executive Council. Among those present were the Minister of Budget and Planning, Atiku Bagudu; the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun; the Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim; and the President’s Policy Adviser, Hadiza Bala Usman.
According to the APC chairman, the engagement forms part of an ongoing effort to strengthen coordination between the party and the executive arm of government. He explained that the goal is to ensure that government policies align closely with the party’s manifesto and campaign commitments.
“We are refreshing what has been done and how it can be improved. The ministers were here to ensure our policies are being implemented in line with the party’s vision,” he said.
Fintiri Dumps PDP for APC, Backs Tinubu’s Re-election Bid Ahead of 2027
