All 21 local government chairmen in Adamawa State and 226 councillors, elected under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have crossed to the All Progressives Congress (APC), consolidating a political realignment that had been widely anticipated since Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri changed parties.
Defections unfold
- Resignation announcements began emerging late on Monday, October 19, and continued into the early hours of Tuesday. Most of the officeholders released letters to the chairmen of their respective PDP wards confirming their departure.
- In the letters, the council officials broadly pointed to personal considerations, saying they had taken the decision after consulting relatives and political allies.
- Demsa Local Government Area Chairman Akham Jalo said he had engaged his family, political associates, other stakeholders and the people of Demsa before deciding to leave the PDP and join the APC.
- Jalo said his move was driven by a desire to support Governor Fintiri’s progressive agenda and secure greater development benefits for Demsa residents. “My decision to join the APC was informed by the need to align with the progressive vision of His Excellency, Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, and to attract more dividends of democracy to the people of Demsa,” he said.
APC confirms statewide switch
Adamawa APC Publicity Secretary Victor Dogo confirmed that the local government leaders had entered the ruling party.
Dogo said the defections cover all 21 local government chairmen, area development administrators and 226 councillors across the state. He said they had chosen to follow their political “godfather,” Governor Fintiri, whom he credited with opening the path for their political advancement.
Background to the move
- The chairmen and councillors were originally elected on PDP tickets in June, four months after Governor Fintiri departed the party.
- They had first won PDP nominations for the June 13, 2026 local government elections, before contesting and securing their respective offices.
- After taking office on June 15, 2026, expectations grew that they would ultimately follow the governor into the APC.
The mass crossover therefore has not surprised observers monitoring Adamawa’s political landscape, although it marks a significant transfer of local-level political influence from the PDP to the APC.
