Atiku Stripped Of Waziri Title By Governor Fintiri

By Gideon Njoku

Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu  Fintiri, has given former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, a bloody nose.

He has stripped Atiku, who was the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the 2023 Presidential Election of his revered Traditional Title – Waziri Adamawa.

While Atiku was not the only one stripped of his title as Fintiri stripped himself of his own title, just as he did a former Governor of the State, Boni Haruna, not a few people allege that Atiku was the target.

Both Governor Fintiri and Atiku are of the same Party – PDP. Ordinarily, the two should be together, but recently, the two of them have tended to work in opposite directions. Fintiri seem to be leaning towards the Nyesom Wike group – a formidable group in the PDP which many believe cost the Party Presidential victory in the 2023 Presidential Election.

However, Governor Fintiri said the action which many see as humiliating, considering the status of the former Vice President, is “part of a broader restructuring of Emirates and Chiefdoms across the State.”

It is not known if Fintiri gave Atiku an inkling that he would be stripped of the Waziri Adamawa title, but the Governor who announced Atiku’s new barren traditional status, as well as Haruna’s and his own, at the coronation ceremony of the newly appointed Chief of Madagali, explained that the reorganization was important in order to modernize the traditional system and align District Heads with the newly created Emirates and Chiefdoms.

Said Fintiri: “As a result, traditional titles  granted under the old Emirates and Chiefdoms are now invalid. The newly established Traditional Councils are instructed to propose new titles for approval in accordance with statutory customs.

Governor Fintiri stripped himself of the title, Sarki Yaki Mubi, and former Governor Haruna of Makama Mubi title.

However, Fintiri said that the Lamido Adamawa, the State’s number one Traditional Ruler, is free to recommend Atiku, Haruna and others for reconsideration. The final say and approval however, lies with the State Governor.

Before Atiku’s elevation to Waziri  Adamawa, he was the Turaki Adamawa, a title which has since been inherited by his first son when he Atiku was given the Waziri title.