What next for Fintiri after Tinubu’s visit?

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s visit to Yola, Adamawa State yesterday, has further heightened suspicion that the state governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri may be smoothening the process for his expected defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Humwashi Wonosikou when contacted however could not confirm if the President’s visit had anything to do with politics but admitted that the Governor in hius speech said the invitation extended to the President goes beyond project commissioning.

Our correspondent confirmed that there have been speculations that the governor is contemplating moving to the APC.

Few weeks ago, Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State openly asked Fintiri, to move to the APC during the public presentation of a book titled “Fintiri: The Man They Couldn’t Stop”, authored by Solomon Kumarga.

Sule, who was chairman of the occasion, praised Fintiri’s leadership style and performance in office, describing him as a governor with “APC DNA” and aligning his achievements with the ruling party’s progressive ideology.

Going by the remarks and activities from yesterday’s visit by the President, analysts say something is in the offing as Fintiri in his welcome speech said there was more to the visit.

“Mr. President, we invited you to Adamawa State to do more than project commissioning. It is to appreciate you for what you are doing for Nigeria; it is to make you relate first hand with the results of your policies in the country,” he stated.

Northeast and APC

Of the six governors in the Northeast geopolitical zone, only two, Fintiri and Bala Mohammed of Bauchi  are in the opposition PDP. The remaining four are in the All Progressives Congress. after the governor of Taraba State Agbu Kefas defected to the APC.

While Mohammed is known to double down on his position as a leader in the opposition party, Fintiri’s  posture has not been that firm which many have interpreted as suggesting that he is not totally averse to joining the APC.

There have been reports that he is being wooed to join the APC but the governors aides have at various times maintained that he remains a members of the PDP.

Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Humwashi Wonosikou, had  dismissed speculations about defection last year, insisting that Fintiri remains focused on his role as one of the PDP leaders.

Yesterday’s visit by Tinubu is seen as the last push that may make the Governor to finally declare for the ruling party. This is even as many meetings are said to be going on at the time of filing this report.

Fintiri’s battle with the APC

But not a few are surprised with the turn of events given the depth of bitter rivalry between the Adamawa governor and the APC.

On the two occasions he contested the governorship of Adamawa State, it was against APC candidates and they were hard fought. Each attempt was marked by intense political intrigues, high-wired politics,  institutional drama and personal stakes; experiences that have come to define Fintiri as opposed to the APC.

In 2019, when Fintiri first won the governorship seat, the election was declared inconclusive after the number of canceled votes exceeded the margin between him and his closest rival, then incumbent governor, Jibrilla Bindow.  He polled 376,552 votes to defeat Bindow, who scored 336,386.

If 2019 was turbulent, the 2023 election proved even more harrowing. Again, after results were collated and the governor appeared heading for victory, the election was declared inconclusive. What followed was one of the most controversial episodes in Nigeria’s recent electoral history.

During the intervening period, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioner for Adamawa State, Hudu Yunusa, controversially declared the APC candidate, Senator Aisha Dahiru Binani, winner of the election. INEC headquarters later nullified the declaration, summoned the REC and other officials involved to Abuja, and eventually declared Fintiri winner after the supplementary poll.

Given this background of bitter rivalry with the APC, many observers are surprised that the Adamawa governor amid the realignments currently reshaping Nigeria’s political landscape would prefer the APC though the PDP has been engulfed in prolonged internal crises, prompting several governors, particularly those seeking second terms, to defect to other platforms.

While many moved to the APC, Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke defected to the Accord Party. Some has suggested that even if Fintiri was going to move, that he would toe the line of Adeleke.

At one point, there were speculations that he might emerge as a running mate to former President Goodluck Jonathan should the latter re-enter the presidential race. As Jonathan’s prospects faded, so did the speculation.

At the PDP National Convention in Ibadan last year, where Fintiri chaired the National Convention Organizing Committee, he reportedly expressed displeasure with the decision of party leaders to expel the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. He subsequently dissociated himself from the decision, a move analysts interpret as an indication of sympathy for Wike’s faction, which is laying claim to the party’s leadership.

Political observers say this stance suggests that Fintiri is carefully weighing his options. His next move, they argue, may depend largely on the direction taken by the Wike group ahead of 2027. This calculation has become more complex following the defection of former vice-president Atiku Abubakar to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), as well as the reported move by Binani, his main rival in the last governorship election, to the same party.

Despite these developments, the Adamawa State chapter of the PDP insists that the governor remains firmly in the party. The state publicity secretary, Victor Dogo, said Fintiri had repeatedly made it clear that he remains a committed PDP member.

“Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri has several times made it very clear that he remains a PDP stalwart. He is still in the PDP for now. I don’t know where the speculation about defection is coming from. If he wanted to leave, he would have done so by now,” Dogo said.

He added that Adamawa has remained a PDP-controlled state since the return to democracy and that the party is determined to retain power by delivering dividends of democracy.

However, a source close to the governor said Fintiri has not disclosed any definitive plans.

“Honestly, it is difficult to say because he has not given any indication, either by words or action, that reveals his plans,” the source said.

“You can see that he is no longer excited about the PDP as he is for the President. He is serving his second term so he is not in a hurry but it is evident that he will soon make a move said an analyst who doesn’t want to be named.

Recent defections in Adamawa

Former Minister of state for Health and foreign Affairs, Dr Aliyu Idi Hong only last week, announced his defection from the PDP to the APC .

Hong made his position known in Hong local government area in Adamawa state on Saturday while addressing his political Associates and supporters saying that the decision was arrived at after wider consultation with critical stakeholders in the state.

Hong stressed that his former party has been in serious political instability for a while without any visible or tangible sign of reconciliation rather it is sinking by the day.

“I cannot allow myself and my followers to be dragged down by a party that is clearly losing direction. The move is guided by a desire to advance development in the state and the country,” he said.

Battles before becoming governor

Fintiri’s political résumé predates his governorship ambition. He was elected to the Adamawa State House of Assembly in 2007 to represent Madagali constituency and rose to become Speaker in 2014. The following year, he briefly became acting governor under circumstances that remain among the most dramatic in the state’s political history.

At the time, then governor Murtala Nyako was facing impeachment following his fallout with the PDP national leadership. Before Nyako’s removal, his deputy, James Bala Ngilari, reportedly agreed to resign to avoid impeachment and handed a resignation letter to Fintiri, who was Speaker of the state House of Assembly.

Once Nyako was impeached, Fintiri assumed office as acting governor, on the grounds that a vacuum had been created following the deputy governor’s resignation. However, Ngilari’s political fortunes were revived when it emerged that the resignation letter had not been formally submitted to the governor, as required by law. The court subsequently ruled that Ngilari remained deputy governor at the time of Nyako’s impeachment and ordered that he be sworn in as governor. Fintiri was compelled to revert to his position as Speaker.

Although his stint as acting governor lasted only three months, it was long enough for him to demonstrate a firm grasp of Adamawa’s political dynamics. Many believe that but for intervention from the presidency, which paved the way for Nuhu Ribadu to secure the PDP governorship ticket in 2015, Fintiri would likely have emerged the party’s candidate.

Ribadu and the PDP eventually lost the governorship in 2015, but the setback did not dampen Fintiri’s ambition who in a show of political resilience, returned in 2019 to contest the PDP ticket at a time when the party’s prospects were widely considered bleak and clinched it. Against expectations, he defeated an incumbent governor from the ruling party.

Permutations for 2027 has put him on another crossroad. With the visit by Tinubu it appears, something will soon give.

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