Former chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Army and representative of the North East on the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Hon. Abdulrazak Namdas has said the All Progressives Congress (APC) needs Governor Ahmad Fintiri to establish its hold on the state and region.
Namdas, in a statement on Friday cautioned those working against the planned alleged defection of the governor from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC to stop ‘grandstanding.’
“I have read with dismay the interviews, articles, and Facebook posts by some of our party members in Adamawa State criticising the alleged defection of Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), emphasising their intention to resist it.
“Firstly, I want to state categorically that the APC is undoubtedly the largest and strongest opposition political party in Adamawa State. In fact, if it were not for the behavior of some of our members in past elections, who allegedly engaged in anti-party activities, the APC would not have lost those elections, nor would it have failed to secure the governorship. We would have been the ruling party.
“As it stands, if we—stakeholders, party leaders, and supporters across the state—set aside our differences and interests and unite with a common purpose to deliver the APC in 2027, we will surely achieve this by God’s grace.
“However, considering the strength of the ruling PDP in the state, led by Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, the emergence of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) under former Vice President His Excellency Atiku Abubakar, and the defection of several notable former members—such as former Governor Bindow Jibrilla, Senator Aisha Dahiru Binani, Senator Ishiaku Abbo, and Sadiq Ibrahim Dasin—from the APC to the ADC, it is clear that we undoubtedly need Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri in our fold”, he stated.
According to Namdas, “If Fintiri is indeed joining the APC as alleged, he will bring along his deputy, 24 commissioners, 3 senators, 5 members of the House of Representatives, 16 state legislators, 21 local government chairmen, 226 councillors, special advisers, assistants, party executives, and other stakeholders.
“However, some are questioning the value he will add by joining the APC. I believe we should instead ask those raising false alarms what value they have actually contributed to the APC.
“I understand that some political operatives may lose influence if Fintiri ultimately joins the APC, which is why they are encouraging some of our members to prevent him from doing so.
“As governor, Fintiri has transformed Adamawa State to such an extent that both President Muhammadu Buhari and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu have recognized his outstanding performance in infrastructure development.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has agreed to visit Yola on Monday, February 16, 2026, to commission additional projects at the invitation of Governor Ahmadu Fintiri.
“As an appointee of the President, a former two-term member of the House of Representatives, and a gubernatorial aspirant in the 2023 election, I would like the governor to join the APC because I recognize the value he will bring, even if others do not.
“Our state party executives, together with their local government and ward counterparts, have done their best to guide the party to its current position, even without a sitting governor.
“However, I believe they will achieve even greater success if the party includes a sitting governor. Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, the party leader in the state, has performed exceptionally well. His primary focus as party leader is to ensure that President Tinubu wins the 2027 election.
“Therefore, he is committed to doing whatever it takes, within the bounds of the law, to achieve this goal. In light of this, we should join our party leader in welcoming Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri to the APC”, he submitted.
