All 21 local government area chairmen and 226 councillors in Adamawa State have defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The mass defection was announced on Monday, October 19, 2026, following the earlier move by Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri to join the ruling party.
Most of the council chairmen reportedly submitted resignation letters to their respective PDP ward chairmen, citing personal reasons and consultations with their families, political associates and other stakeholders. The councillors also joined the movement, shifting the political alignment of elected officials across the state’s 21 local government areas and 226 wards.
The Adamawa State APC Publicity Secretary, Victor Dogo, confirmed the development, saying the council chairmen, area development administrators and 226 councillors had joined the party. He attributed their decision to their desire to align politically with Fintiri, whom he described as their political godfather.
One of the defectors, Akham Jalo, chairman of Demsa Local Government Area, said his decision followed consultations with his family, political associates, stakeholders and residents. In his resignation statement, Jalo said he joined the APC to align with Fintiri’s political direction and attract more development to his local government area. He also thanked the PDP for the opportunity to serve and urged his supporters to remain united.
The development follows the June 2026 local government elections, in which the PDP won all 21 chairmanship seats and 226 councillorship positions in Adamawa State. The officials had remained in the PDP despite Fintiri’s defection to the APC earlier in the year, having contested under the opposition party’s platform. Their latest move represents a major political realignment at the grassroots level ahead of the 2027 general elections.
