Adamawa State Governor, Hon Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, moved decisively and stripped former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of his valued traditional title of Waziri Adamawa.
The move which was hinged on non-indigeneship of Atiku to Yola emirate Council, also affected other prominent traditional title holders in the State.
These were contained in a circular dated June 20, 2025, and signed by Mrs. Adama Felicity Mamman, Permanent Secretary in the Department of Chieftaincy Affairs, in the State Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
The circular stated that following the creation of new Chiefdoms in the state by the Executive Governor of Adamawa State, Rt. Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, all Kingmakers and Council members in the state must be indigene of their Chiefdoms.
It further stated; “All Kingmakers and Council members from Adamawa Emirate Council must be indigene of Yola South, Yola North, Girei, Mayo-Belwa, Song and Zumo Districts; while those of Mubi Emirate Council must be indigene of Mubi North, Mubi South vis-à-vis all Emirates/Traditional councils in the state”.
Following the circular, Atiku, who is a native of Jada Local Government Area under the Ganye Chiefdom, stands disqualified from holding the Waziri Adamawa title in the Adamawa Emirate Council.
The Waziri Adamawa is traditionally the second in command in the Adamawa Emirate next to the Lamido of Adamawa.
Atiku’s recent political romance with Aishatu Binani, who contested against Governor Fintiri in the 2023 Governorship election in Adamawa State has been viewed by some stakeholders as part of the rift between the Adamawa Governor and Atiku.
The development is however being perceived as part of the political difference between Governor Fintiri and Atiku just as the development is perceived as a deliberate attempt aimed at weaking the former Vice President’s political influence in the State.
In the build up to the 2023 elections, Fintiri allegedly supported former Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State at the presidential primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), against the aspiration of Atiku, who eventually picked the ticket of the Party.
However, both Atiku and Fintiri later contested on the same party platform during the 2023 election that saw the former Vice President coming second to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and since that timeen, the alliance between the former Vice President and the Adamawa Governor is considered not to be smooth.
