Governor Ahmadu Fintiri has defended his decision to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing it as a strategic move made in the best interest of Adamawa State and its residents.
In a statewide broadcast on Friday morning, the governor announced his defection, stating that the decision came after broad consultations and a thorough evaluation of the state’s long-term stability, progress, and development.
Recalling the mandates he secured in the 2019 and 2023 governorship elections, Fintiri said his administration remains conscious of the trust reposed in it by the people and steadfast in fulfilling its commitments.
He highlighted major achievements of his government, including enhanced security, the building and rehabilitation of roads, schools, hospitals, markets, and housing schemes, as well as investments in education, water resources, and power infrastructure.
The governor also pointed to programmes focused on youth and women empowerment, in addition to the establishment of new chiefdoms, emirates, and districts aimed at fostering inclusivity and balanced growth across the state.
According to him, his adminstration his “administration has consistently been guided by consultation, legality and impact in its decision-making process. Recent political developments at the national level, however, made a decisive and strategic realignment necessary.”
Fintiri said joining the APC would better position Adamawa State to align with and benefit from the federal government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly in areas such as social welfare, infrastructure development, housing and inclusive economic growth.
He stressed that his decision was neither driven by personal ambition nor political expediency, but by the need to reposition the state within the mainstream of national politics to attract greater opportunities and dividends of governance.
The governor disclosed that the defection extends to the entire political structure of his administration across the state’s 226 wards and 21 local government areas, including both elected and appointed officials.
He urged his supporters to register en masse with the APC and assured residents that his government would remain focused on delivering development projects, regardless of party affiliation.
Fintiri called on the people of Adamawa to sustain their confidence in his leadership, describing the move as a bold step toward securing a more prosperous future for the state.