Bayo Onanuga, spokesperson to President Bola Tinubu, has described the defection of Adamawa State Governor, Umaru Fintiri, from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as a “big blow” to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

Reacting via a social media post on Friday, Onanuga said the governor’s political move has made President Tinubu’s party a juggernaut in Adamawa State.

“Adamawa Governor Umaru Fintiri joins the All Progressives Congress, taking away Atiku Abubakar’s entire home base to President Tinubu’s party,” he remarked.

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New Telegraph earlier reported that Governor Fintiri announced his defection in a statewide broadcast on Friday, February 27, 2026.

He also disclosed that members of his cabinet, state lawmakers, and other PDP officials in the state defected with him to the APC, further strengthening the party’s presence in Adamawa.

Fintiri said he defected in the “developmental interest” of the people of Adamawa State.

Speaking further, Onanuga predicted a possible political setback for Atiku in the new political landscape, especially following his move from the PDP to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which he claimed is largely unknown in the state.

“With the presidential election less than a year away, Fintiri’s defection is surely a big blow to Atiku Abubakar. His ADC is largely unknown in the state. He certainly needs to reassess his ambition, as his governor has turned the APC into an Adamawa juggernaut,” Onanuga noted.

The President’s spokesperson further advised Atiku to reconsider his political future, suggesting that declining popularity at home could weaken his national appeal.

Atiku, who hails from Adamawa State, has over time been regarded as a major political power broker in the state.