NIGERIA – Adamawa state Governor Ahmadu Fintiri has switched from the opposition PDP to ruling APC, a development which analysts believe would impact political allegiances in the north.
Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State, has resigned his membership of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and switched to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Friday morning as widely reported in Nigeria Info FM.
The development marks one of the highest profile defection from opposition PDP to ruling APC in Northern Nigeria this year as Adamawa State remains one of the strategically positioned states in the northeast, and its sitting Governor Ahmadu Fintiri have been one of the PDP’s strong pillars since his assumption of office as governor in 2019.
Sources close to the issue revealed that talks between the governor and stalwarts of the ruling APC have been on for several weeks but none of the parties had confirmed negotiations before making the announcement that the governor will defect the party to the APC. This may change political calculations within the Adamawa State House of Assembly and future elections.
If confirmed by both parties, Fintiri’s reported defection will consolidate the influence of the ruling party in the region where politicians have been switching party affiliations lately. Political analysts however, believe that the defection of governors typically has implications on lawmakers and council chairmen loyal to the state executives.
In Adamawa, the announcement has drawn mixed reactions from the electorate; while PDP supporters are calling it a betrayal of the people of the state, while APC members claim this will bring about more collaborations between the federal and state government.
Fintiri, formerly the Speaker of Adamawa State House of Assembly before contesting for the governorship seat which he won, rose to power on the platform of the PDP. Since taking office, he has pursued reforms in public service, civil servants, and the education sector and invested in infrastructure projects.
The PDP has been experiencing defections and internal wrangling in many states which has significantly reduced its influence in some areas. As at Friday afternoon, neither PDP leadership in the state nor at national level had been able to release a statement on the issue although speculations about an emergency consultation to address Fintiri’s reported defection is already on the lips of people who are close to party affairs.
For the APC, this would be another win for the ruling party having already secured some of its current political allegiances on account of issues such as the federal government policies as it concerns the state.
