Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri is the Governor of Adamawa State, now in his second and final term. A former Speaker of the State House of Assembly, he won both his elections on the PDP platform after supplementary polls, and moved to the APC in February 2026.12

Early career

Fintiri was born on 27 October 1967. He was elected to the Adamawa State House of Assembly and became its Speaker. When Governor Murtala Nyako was impeached in July 2014, Fintiri served as acting governor for about three months, until October 2014.1

The 2019 and 2023 elections

In 2019 Fintiri led the first round but the election was declared inconclusive; he won the supplementary vote with 376,552 votes to 336,386 for the incumbent, Bindo Jibrilla of the APC.1

His 2023 re-election was one of the most controversial of that cycle. During the supplementary election, the state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner announced the APC’s Aishatu Dahiru “Binani” as the winner before collation was complete. INEC voided the declaration, and the returning officer declared Fintiri the winner with 430,861 votes to her 398,788. Binani’s challenges failed in court.13

Governor (2019–present)

Fintiri’s government has promoted road building in Yola and other towns and a cash-support scheme for small businesses, launched in 2024.1 In December 2024 he created seven new emirates and chiefdoms, a move his supporters said gave long-neglected communities recognition and critics said diluted the authority of established traditional rulers.4

He was criticised in 2023 for appointing about 150 aides at a significant monthly cost in a state where millions live in poverty; his office said the appointments would help to deliver the government’s programmes.1

Move to the APC

On 27 February 2026 Fintiri formally left the PDP for the APC, part of the wave of defections that left the governing party in control of most states before the 2027 elections.2 He cannot run for governor again in 2027.

Personal life

Fintiri is married to Lami Fintiri, and they have three children.1

References

  1. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri. Wikipedia, accessed October 2026. ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩

  2. Adamawa Governor Fintiri formally defects to APC. AllAfrica, 27 February 2026. ↩ ↩

  3. Fintiri re-elected after dramatic Adamawa gov election. Channels Television, 18 April 2023. ↩

  4. Fintiri creates 7 new emirates, chiefdoms. ThisDay, 24 December 2024. ↩