Ahmadu Fintiri, Governor of Adamawa State, on Friday, February 27, defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), becoming the 30th serving governor under the party.
In a statewide broadcast, Fintiri announced that he moved to the APC alongside members of his cabinet and other PDP officials in the state. Heexplained that the decision was taken in the overall developmental interest of Adamawa State and its people.
Fintiri’s defection comes just weeks after Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State joined the APC, becoming the 29th governor under the party. Yusuf had earlier resigned from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), citing internal crises and leadership disputes.
Yusuf’s move reportedly triggered a wave of defections in Kano State, including state lawmakers and local government chairmen, significantly weakening the NNPP’s structure in the state.
With Fintiri’s switch, the current governorship standings as of January 2026 indicate that the APC now controls 30 states, while the PDP has three governors. The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Labour Party, and Accord Party each have one governor.
Fintiri’s defection further strengthens the APC’s influence in northern Nigeria, consolidating its reach in a region known for delivering significant votes during general elections.
Beyond the numbers, the move carries substantial political weight, as Adamawa State is widely regarded as the political stronghold of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the PDP’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election and a prominent chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), who is widely speculated to be considering another presidential bid.
Political observers suggest that the ongoing wave of defections could significantly reshape both state and national politics, potentially giving the APC a strategic advantage in key regions ahead of the 2027 general elections.
