Crisis In Adamawa APC As Governor Fintiri, NSA Ribadu Battle For Party Control Ahead Of 2027

 

Crisis In Adamawa APC As Governor Fintiri, NSA Ribadu Battle For Party Control Ahead Of 2027

Fintiri, who recently moved into the APC with a formidable grassroots network and state backing, is pushing to assert dominance as the sitting governor.

Apolitical war is unfolding inside the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Adamawa State as Governor Ahmadu Fintiri and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu lock horns over control of the party’s structure, exposing deep cracks within the ruling party ahead of the 2027 elections.

What began as a strategic defection has rapidly degenerated into a fierce supremacy battle, with both camps scrambling to seize the party machinery, dictate leadership positions, and control the delegate system that will ultimately decide candidates in the next electoral cycle.

Insiders say the fight is less about ideology and more about raw political survival, influence, and future power.

Fintiri, who recently moved into the APC with a formidable grassroots network and state backing, is pushing to assert dominance as the sitting governor.

However, Ribadu, a longstanding figure within the party with deep federal connections and loyalists across the state, is resisting what his camp views as a hostile takeover by new entrants.

The situation has now escalated into parallel alignments, with both factions mobilizing supporters and quietly preparing for a showdown during party congresses.

The stakes are high: whoever controls the structure controls the ticket, and ultimately, the political future of Adamawa.

Tensions boiled over further during the APC North-East Zonal Congress held in Gombe, where a candidate aligned with Ribadu, Barr Shuaibu Idris emerged as the party’s zonal chairman, dealing a significant blow to Fintiri’s camp.

The outcome was widely interpreted as a strategic consolidation of power by Ribadu’s loyalists at the regional level, effectively tightening their grip beyond Adamawa.

Fintiri’s preferred candidate, Jarengol, was edged out in the contest, sparking murmurs of manipulation and deepening mistrust within the ranks.

Sources within the governor’s camp describe the outcome as a “calculated exclusion,” warning that the development signals a broader attempt to sideline Fintiri’s influence within the party’s North-East hierarchy.

Fintiri ally Ibrahim Mohammed condemned the zonal congress as a “sham,” warning that the party is drifting toward dangerous territory.

“What happened shows a total collapse of internal democracy. Aspirants were shut out,” he said.

2015 Ghost Returns

Party members are already drawing parallels with the PDP’s controversial 2015 primaries, warning history could repeat itself if imposition persists.

They further accused the Ribadu camp of planning to impose, one Ahmed Aminu Galadima as Fintiri’s successor, warning that the move could spell doom for the party, a pattern, they claimed PDP suffered in 2015 when Ribadu was its governorship candidate.

Former aspirant Jabatawa James accused Ribadu of replaying an imposition strategy, casting doubt on the credibility of future primaries.

Another member, Aliyu Abdullahi, described the congress as a “shambolic drama,” urging party leaders to embrace transparency or risk implosion.

The fallout from the Gombe congress has only hardened positions on both sides, with fears that the crisis could spiral into a full factional split if urgent reconciliation efforts fail.

Already, party insiders warn of looming implosion, potential defections and anti-party activities that could weaken the APC’s standing in the region.