Fintiri Dumps Umbrella For Broom

ADAMAWA State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, has finally dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and joined the All Progressives Congress (APC), 48 hours after Speaker of the state Assembly, Bathiya Wesley, his Deputy, Buba Jijiwa, resigned from the PDP along with 13 other lawmakers.
Fintiri’s defection leaves PDP with just three governors.
In a state broadcast on Friday, February 27, Fintiri said his cabinet and PDP members have moved with him to the APC, putting to rest, speculation on the his plan to defect to the ruling party.
The lawmakers had attributed their defections to the “lingering crisis” in the PDP.
Earlier in the day, the governor had picked up APC membership card at K/Wuro Ngayandi Ward in Madagali Local Council and held meetings with the party’s chieftains ahead of his formal defection.
At the Government House in Yola, there was jubilation on Wednesday, February 25, when the party’s National Vice Chairman (Northeast), Mustapha Salihu, led key chieftains in the region to a meeting with Fintiri.
Fintiri said he left PDP after extensive consultations with stakeholders to ensure long-term stability, development and prosperity for the people of the state, insisting his defection would enable the state to support President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“After wide consultations with a large spectrum of our people, we have resolved to politically align Adamawa State with the APC.
“This alignment would enable Adamawa to effectively support and leverage the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu. This aims to transform the nation in critical sectors, including social welfare, infrastructure, housing and inclusive economic development,” he added.
The governor reiterated his administration’s commitment to the mandate given in the 2019 and 2023 elections, pledging to uphold the state’s social contract, adding that the alignment would also return Adamawa to mainstream national politics and create opportunities for investment, federal collaboration and increased benefits.
Fintiri said he would join the APC with structures across 226 wards and 21 local government areas, including elected and appointed officials, noting: “Wherever we go from here, we are going as a collective body with the required political strength and the numbers that confer value.
“We are moving into the APC with all the 226 wards, 21 LGAs, all elected and appointed members and indeed our energy and our political machinery to confer benefit to our state, the nation and our people.”
He assured residents that his defection would not affect ongoing development programmes in infrastructure, education, healthcare, job creation and scholarships, urging his supporters to register with the APC and participate actively in the political process, saying it was in the collective interest of the state.