Fintiri calls PDP ‘depleted’ as he consolidates move to APC
Governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, on Wednesday consolidated his defection to the All Progressives Congress, declaring that the opposition Peoples Democratic Party has become a “depleted” political force.
Fintiri spoke during a courtesy visit to the National Working Committee of the APC at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, where he described his defection as a “home return”.
The governor pledged full loyalty to the ruling party and promised to deliver significant electoral value ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“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 said.
Speaking on the chances of President Bola Tinubu securing a second term, Fintiri expressed confidence in the administration’s performance.
According to him, although the government’s macroeconomic reforms initially caused hardship due to their bold nature, they are beginning to yield positive results.
“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,” he said.
Welcoming the governor, the APC national chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, described Fintiri as a “gifted political maestro”, praising what he called his developmental strides in Adamawa State.
Yilwatda said the governor’s progressive orientation made the APC his natural political home.
Responding to concerns about the strength of the opposition ahead of the 2027 elections, the APC chairman dismissed suggestions that the ruling party was benefiting from a weakened opposition.
“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,” he said.
“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 left, right and centre.”
The visit coincided with a meeting between the APC leadership and several ministers in the federal cabinet.
Among those present were Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning; Wale Edun, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy; Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim, Minister of Women Affairs; and the President’s Special Adviser on Policy Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman.
Yilwatda said the interaction formed part of efforts to strengthen coordination between the party and the executive arm of government.
“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.