Governor Umaru Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State has thrown his weight behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, declaring that the President “deserves a second term” based on what he described as the positive impact of ongoing economic reforms.
Fintiri, who recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), made the remarks on Wednesday during a courtesy visit to the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja. He pledged full loyalty to the ruling party and signalled a firm political realignment ahead of the next general election.
“We have fully aligned at the moment to the APC because it’s a home return for most of us,” Fintiri said. “I am here to pledge my full loyalty to the party and assure the leadership that we have come to work and deliver electoral value in the next general election.”
In a notable endorsement of the Tinubu administration, the governor acknowledged that the President’s economic reforms were initially challenging but insisted they are now producing tangible results.
“Judging by the work done by Mr. President, he deserves a second term,” Fintiri stated. “The microeconomic policies he initiated were rough at first because we were not used to them, but they have yielded very positive results. The country is moving in the right direction, and there is light at the end of the tunnel.”
APC National Chairman Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda used the occasion to project confidence in the party’s prospects for 2027, dismissing claims that Nigerians have turned against the ruling party.
Citing recent by-elections and off-season polls, Yilwatda argued that the APC’s electoral victories contradict narratives of declining popularity.
“Across the country, in by-elections and off-season elections, APC has been winning left, right and center,” he said. “Those same voters are Nigerians, and they have continued to show confidence in the APC and in Mr. President.”
The APC chairman also highlighted efforts to strengthen coordination between the party and the executive arm of government, noting that recent engagements with ministers were aimed at reinforcing the party’s “social contract” with Nigerians.
“We want clear synergy between the party and the executive,” Yilwatda said. “They are implementing the policies and promises we made to Nigerians. Our responsibility is to ensure those commitments are delivered.”
Welcoming Fintiri into the party, Yilwatda described the Adamawa governor as a “political maestro” whose defection represents a strategic gain for the APC, particularly in the North-East.
Taking a swipe at opposition parties, he added that the APC would not be distracted by their internal challenges.
“It is not our duty to organize the opposition,” he said. “Our duty is to present our scorecard to Nigerians and win elections.”
With political alignments already shifting two years ahead of the 2027 general elections, Fintiri’s endorsement underscores growing momentum within the APC as it positions itself to consolidate power and sustain President Tinubu’s Renewal Agenda.