How Fintiri’s new masterstroke denudes Atiku, others in Adamawa emirate
In a move that has generated considerable ripples in Adamawa State, the governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri led administration has stripped the former vice president Atiku Abubakar of his traditional title of Waziri Adamawa, the most senior council member and the second in command in the emirate.
Other prominent council members affected by the policy include a prominent businessman Abdulkadir Aminu Mbamba who holds the title of Wali Adamawa, former chief judge of Adamawa State, Justice Nathan Musa who holds the title of Wakili Alkalan Adamawa and former Adamawa Speaker James Barka who is the Magatakarda Adamawa. Both Mbamba, Nathan and Barka hail from Hong local government.
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The new policy is seen as one last ditch effort by governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri to pulverize the influence of prominent adversaries with one fatal strike.
Governor Fintiri has through the new Emirates and chiefdoms law specifically whittled the influence of Adamawa and Mubi Emirates by carving out seven new emirates and chiefdoms out of them.
They include; the Huba Chiefdom with headquarters in Hong, with a second-class status; Madagali Chiefdom with headquarters in Gulak, with a second-class status; Michika Chiefdom, with headquarters in Michika, with a second-class status; Fufore Emirate, with headquarters in Fufore, with a second-class status, and Gombi Chiefdom, with headquarters in Gombi, with a third-class status.
Others are Yungur Chiefdom, with headquarters in Dumne, with a third-class status, and Maiha Emirate, with headquarters in Maiha, with a third-class status.
The creation of the new emirates and chiefdoms has drastically affected the influence of Lamido Adamawa, Dr. Barkindo Aliyu Mustapha whose domain hitherto covers eight local governments. After the creation of the new emirates and chiefdoms, Adamawa emirate was left with only five local governments, Yola South LG, Yola North LG, Mayo-Belwa LG, Girei LG and some parts of Song LG.
It was speculated that governor Fintiri has been nurturing grievance against the Lamido of Adamawa following the role he played in mobilizing support for former governor of the state, Muhammadu Umaru Jibrilla Bindow in the build up to the 2019 governorship election in the state.
On the other hand, Atiku Abubakar who was one of the major backers of governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri in both the 2019 and 2023 election allegedly fell out with the governor shortly after the last guber election on account of seeming divergent political interests in PDP.
While Atiku, a perennial presidential contender is championing a mega coalition between PDP and other political parties to ouster president Bola Tinubu, Fintiri alongside Wike and PDP governors rejected any move to enter into any coalition with other parties.
It was also speculated that irked by the creation of the new emirates and chiefdoms, which significantly reduced his influence, Atiku has during the last eid-el-fitri mobilized a massive and ostentatious Sallah durbar as a counter narrative against speculations of dwindling fortunes of the emirate on account of Fintiri’s action.
It was speculated that Fintiri who refused to attend any of the Sallah durbar processions organized by Atiku who personally took charge of the festivities spanning several days was seriously angered by Atiku’s action.
“What we are seeing is a culmination of a number of stringent measures both political and otherwise taken by the governor to show that he is effectively in charge and to show Atiku that challenging a sitting governor comes with consequences,” an Adamawa politician who does not want to be quoted said.
In a circular dated June 20, 2025, and signed by Mrs. Adama Felicity Mamman, Permanent Secretary of the Department of Chieftaincy Affairs the state government said the directive was part of a broader restructuring of traditional institutions following the recent creation of new emirates and chiefdoms.
Traditionally considered the second highest-ranking figure in the Adamawa Emirate after the Lamido, the Waziri Adamawa title will now fizzle out since he has failed short of meeting the new eligibility criteria since he hails from Jada local government in Ganye chiefdom.
The new policy stipulates that only indigenes from Yola South, Yola North, Girei, Mayo-Belwa, Song, and Zumo districts can hold emirate council positions or titles.
The circular further stated that the new policy applies to all council members and traditional titleholders within emirate systems across the state.
Further intensifying the controversy is a bill currently before the Adamawa State House of Assembly that seeks to grant the governor the power to depose traditional rulers deemed unfit and appoint successors directly. Critics warn the proposed law could concentrate excessive authority in the hands of the state executive and erode the autonomy of traditional institutions.
