Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, has assured members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that his defection to the party is not a move to take over or displace anyone but a strategic alignment aimed at strengthening political stability in the state.
Governor Fintiri gave this assurance on Monday during a stakeholders’ meeting held in Yola, where he formally assumed the position of the APC leader in the State with his formal reception and induction into the party by the top hierarchy supervised by the APC North East Vice Chairman, Comrade Mustapha Salihu.
Addressing party faithful, Governor Fintiri said the coming together of leaders would consolidate the APC’s strength in Adamawa and ensure an overwhelming victory for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and all APC candidates in the next general election.
He commended President Tinubu and the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, for supporting what he described as a seamless defection process.
He called on APC members to warmly receive the new entrants and assured them of loyalty and submission to the party leadership.
“We will continue to deliver the services expected by the people so that we can grow stronger. Our ratings by international organisations placed us among the top-performing states in the country, and this was made possible by the support of our people”, the governor said.
Governor Fintiri reiterated that his defection marks the beginning of a new political chapter in Adamawa, stressing that the move was not driven by personal ambition but by the need to consolidate peace, stability, and development in the state.
He urged former PDP members to integrate into the APC with discipline and maturity, emphasising the importance of loyalty, unity, and purposeful leadership. He further called for grassroots meetings across the state to solidify the new political alignment.
Also speaking, the APC National Vice Chairman (North-East), Comrade Mustafa Salihu, described the gathering as significant for Adamawa politics and commended the governor for moving his structure into the APC.
The Minister of Livestock Development, Alhaji Idi Mukhtar, described the meeting as momentous, expressing confidence that Adamawa has the capacity to deliver victory for the APC in future elections.
He observed that the present realignment of politicians within the PDP and APC has never happened before, stressing that this development will take Adamawa State to greatest height.
Earlier, the State APC Chairman, Barrister Idris Shuaibu, appreciated Governor Fintiri and Malam Nuhu Ribadu for ensuring a smooth transition and assured the governor of the party’s loyalty and support.
In his welcome address, the Secretary to the State Government, Barrister Awwal Tukur, said the defection followed wide consultations with the people of Adamawa who continue to look up to Governor Fintiri for leadership and direction.
In a goodwill message, former PDP State Chairman, Alhaji Hamza Bello Madagali, announced that the PDP structure in the state had been fully integrated into the APC, including executives from the state to the ward level.
