Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri has defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress, announcing the move in a statewide broadcast.

Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri has formally defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), the governor announced on Friday in a statewide broadcast to the people of the state.

Fintiri was elected Governor of Adamawa State on the platform of the PDP in both the 2019 and 2023 gubernatorial elections.

His announcement ends months of speculation over his political future and moves his administration into the ruling party at the federal level.

The defection comes amid broader political realignments within Nigeria’s political landscape as parties prepare for the 2027 general elections.

In the days leading up to Fintiri’s announcement, the Speaker of the Adamawa State House of Assembly, Bathiya Wesley, and fifteen other lawmakers resigned from the PDP, raising attention across the state.

Fintiri made the announcement during a 14-minute statewide broadcast on Friday, saying he had decamped along with his entire cabinet and other PDP officials in the state.

Following the broadcast, PDP flags were reportedly removed from the governor’s office and other government buildings in Yola.

In his statement, Fintiri said the decision was based on extensive consultations with stakeholders across Adamawa State and was intended to align the state with national politics.

He said the move was aimed at advancing the developmental interests of the people of Adamawa.

State officials who announced the defection said all commissioners in the governor’s cabinet had joined Fintiri in the APC. The governor was registered in the APC with membership card number 001.

In his broadcast, Fintiri said, “We have come this far and built so much with the people that we are ready to move further to align our polity with national politics.”

He also stated, “The decision to leave the PDP and join the APC was not taken lightly. It was guided by one overriding consideration: the long-term stability, development and prosperity of Adamawa State.”

Fintiri’s defection to the APC increases the number of states governed by the ruling party, strengthening its position at the sub-national level.

Prior to this move, several governors from the opposition party had defected to the APC, reflecting ongoing shifts in party alignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The realignment within Adamawa State, including the departure of lawmakers from the state assembly, has altered the political composition of the state’s party representation.