Tinubu Visit Fuels Adamawa Defection Rumours

Yola, the Adamawa State capital, is awash with All Progressives Congress (APC) billboards and flags ahead of President Bola Tinubu’s visit on Monday, sparking fresh speculation that Governor Ahmadu Fintiri may defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling party.

Along the Yola International Airport road, PDP banners and billboards have been replaced by APC materials, intensifying the rumour mill. Adamawa APC spokesman Mohammed Abdullahi said, “I am certainly sure that the governor will join APC. The people involved in the negotiations are responsible and respected individuals, so I can assure you that Fintiri is going to mount the APC flag in Government House before the 2027 general elections.”

In December 2025, APC North-East National Vice Chairman Mustapha Salihu confirmed ongoing discussions, adding, “It is unconstitutional to stop anyone from joining any association of his interest. Politics is about numbers, so we in APC will be glad if Governor Fintiri joins us to build Nigeria together.”

An anonymous PDP member of the House of Representatives from Adamawa told PUNCH Online that Fintiri would defect shortly after Tinubu’s visit. “The governor has officially briefed us, the top PDP members, on his plans to join the APC. The visit of the president is part of the negotiations with the governor to give him presidential recognition above other governors who decamp to the APC,” he said.

The lawmaker alleged that efforts to bring Fintiri into APC began during the tenure of the late President Muhammadu Buhari, with awards and recognitions designed to woo him—a process that Tinubu’s government has continued. He added, “If you assess the PDP governors that decamped to APC, their report cards in terms of performance are poor, but Fintiri is excellent, so APC want the beautiful bride in their party.”

However, he ruled out the possibility of PDP National Assembly members following the governor to APC. “Some of us are not following him to APC, because our areas are no-go areas for the name APC. We are moving to other political parties, but certainly not APC,” he said.

Speculation about Fintiri’s possible defection first surfaced in 2024 when talks between the governor and APC were first reported.