Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Fintiri is on the verge of switching from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party to the ruling All Progressives Congress, a move that would hand the APC control of 30 of 36 states and deliver a fresh setback to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s 2027 presidential bid in his home turf.
The anticipated realignment, expected to be formalised around April, follows a wave of high-profile defections that have bolstered the APC’s dominance, with Fintiri signalling openness to the shift if it reflects the will of his constituents. “If that is the wish of my people to defect, I have no choice because politics is all about it,” he said last week, dismissing critics as “political merchants” who are “so cheap” and “afraid.”
The development coincides with Monday’s lavish reception for Kano Governor Abba Yusuf into the APC fold, an event underscoring the northern powerhouse’s strategic value. “Kano is the most cosmopolitan community in the north,” senior party sources told THISDAY, adding that “adding Kano to our side has thoroughly weakened the opposition in the region.”
APC National Chairman Prof Nentawe Yilwatda attributed the influx to tangible governance gains rather than arm-twisting. “There is no coercion… They see the difference. They see the opportunities,” he said, citing flagship infrastructure like the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano gas pipeline and the Sokoto-Badagry superhighway. “The AKK project is expected to stimulate industrial clusters… Kano is the terminal point. So, who would not like to be part of that?”
Billboards and APC flags have sprouted across Yola in anticipation of President Bola Tinubu’s impending visit, fuelling speculation of Fintiri’s formal induction. Another northeastern governor is reportedly in talks, potentially pushing the tally to 31 states.
Rivers Governor Siminalayi Fubara is slated for a similar welcome post-Ramadan, further solidifying APC gains in the south-south.
Atiku’s camp offered no immediate response to the latest blow.
