The All Progressives Congress (APC) has solidified its position as Nigeria’s dominant political party following the defection of Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, a former member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Governor Fintiri announced his switch to the APC during a statewide broadcast on Friday, confirming he would be joined by his entire cabinet and all local PDP officials. He cited the “developmental interest of the people of Adamawa State” as his primary motivation for the move.
This high-profile defection triggers a significant numerical shift in Nigeria’s gubernatorial landscape. Reacting to the news, Bashir Ahmad, a former media aide to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, stated on the social media platform X that the APC now controls 30 of Nigeria’s 36 state governorships. “With Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, formally [having] joined the All Progressives Congress (APC), the party now boasts 30 out of the 36 governors in the federation, firmly cementing its position as the largest political party in Africa,” Ahmad wrote.
The claim of being the largest political party in Africa by elected officeholders rests on this new 30-governor tally. The APC, which came to power nationally in 2015, has long maintained a majority in the Governors’ Forum. However, the addition of Fintiri—who was elected in 2023 as a PDP candidate—further widens its margin over the PDP, which now holds the remaining six governorships. This consolidation of state-level power strengthens the APC’s federal leverage ahead of the 2027 general election cycle.
For Adamawa State, the defection means a full alignment of the executive arm with the ruling party at the national level.analysts note that such mass defections, often described as “political realignments,” are common in Nigeria’sFourth Republic and typically reflect strategic calculations ahead of future elections rather than sudden ideological shifts.
The move underscores the fluidity of Nigeria’s political alliances and the enduring organisational strength of the APC as it seeks to entrench its national dominance.
