Fintiri’s Defection: Presidency Mocks Atiku, Advices He Retires And Goes Back To Dubai

 

By Adesina Soyooye 

Nigeria’s Presidency has advised former President Atiku Abubakar to retire from Politics and go back to Dubai.

The advice, contained in a post by Presidential Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, came on the heels of the long-expected defection of the Governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Fintiri to the All Progressives Congress, APC, from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Atiku, former Vice President under the PDP, former APC chieftain, back to PDP and then to the African Democratic Congress, ADC, where he is aspiring, again, to the Nigerian Presidency, is from Adamawa State.

But on Thursday, Fintiri, who was always seen, until recently, as Atiku’s political godson, defected to the APC with members of his cabinet (minus one of Atiku’s sons), Local Government Chairmen and Councillors as well as the State Executive Council of the PDP.

Given the situation which not a few people say has left Atiku’s flank open, and without a political base, the

Presidency has mocked him by telling him to retire from politics and go back to his second home, Dubai.

Onanuga to Atiku in the post on Friday: “Adamawa Governor Fintiri joins the APC taking away Atiku’s entire home base to President Tinubu’s party. This is a big blow for Atiku.

“With the presidential election less than a year away, Fintiri’s defection is surely a big blow to veteran presidential runner Atiku Abubakar.

“His ADC is largely unknown in the state. He certainly needs to reassess his ambition, as his governor has turned the APC into an Adamawa juggernaut.

“If a politician is not so popular at home, he has no business selling his candidacy to outsiders. The time is nigh for Atiku to consider retiring from politics and going to his second home in Dubai.”

Prior to Fintiri’s defection, the Speaker and members of the Adamawa House of Assembly, had a couple of days earlier, dumped the PDP for the APC.