By Deborah Nnamdi
Governor Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State has announced his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), declaring that the move was driven by the interest of the people and the need to strengthen ties with the Federal Government.
Fintiri announced in a statewide broadcast on Friday, stating that he defected alongside all members of his cabinet, political appointees, and elected local government chairmen across the state.
According to the governor, the decision was taken after wide consultations and was aimed at fostering unity and accelerating development in Adamawa. He emphasized the importance of aligning more closely with the Federal Government to advance key development priorities and attract greater benefits to the state.
The governor’s defection follows a similar development in the Adamawa State House of Assembly earlier in the week. The Speaker, Wesley Bathiya, on Wednesday announced his resignation from the PDP alongside 14 other lawmakers.
Bathiya disclosed the decision during plenary, where he presented letters of resignation from the affected legislators. After concluding legislative proceedings, he read the letters one after another, formally confirming their withdrawal from the ruling party.
One of the defecting lawmakers, Mahmud Kallamu, who chairs the House Committee on Information, described the move as strategic and in the overall interest of the state.
An APC lawmaker, who spoke on the sidelines of the plenary, said the party was open to receiving the defectors should they formally seek membership.
