Governor Fintiri Dumps Atiku For Wike

By Gideon Njoku

There are pointers that Adamawa State Governor, Ahmed Fintiri, has jumped ship. The Peoples Democratic Party’s Governor did not dump the PDP for the All Progressive Congress, APC.

No, the Governor dumped former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who was the Presidential Candidate of the PDP in the 2023 Presidential Election for the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike.

Atiku and Wike are bitter political enemies, and are, not a few people agree, responsible for the sorry state of affairs of the PDP, especially, from the months leading to the 2023 Presidential election. Both men aspired to the office of the President but Atiku defeated Wike in the Primary, and dashed his hope of becoming his running mate by picking the then Governor of Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa instead, even, after, according to Wike, Atiku assured him he, Wike, will be the one.

To pay Atiku back in his own coins, Wike decided to work against Atiku in favour of then Candidate Bola Tinubu.

He formed a strong alliance with some PDP stakeholders, including, four then PDP Governors – Samuel Ortom of Benue, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu. With their leader, Wike, they formed the G5 and worked against the PDP.

The  Group which has been quiet, since Tinubu’s Presidency, appointment of Wike as FCT Minister, except Makinde who is serving his second term as Governor, on Saturday, converged in Rivers State at a reception in honour of Wike by an Ijaw Group.

But there was a new entrant, a new member of the G5. It was Adamawa State Governor, Ahmed Fintiri.

Fintiri is the Governor of Atiku’s home State, and has been with him, or so everybody thought, till now.

However, signs that Finitiri has abandoned Atiku for Wike showed when the Governor publicly endorsed the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Ambassador Umar Damagum to continue in office with his NWC members. Atiku and his group, including PDP Governors, minus Makinde, and now, Finitiri, want Damagum out as Acting PDP National Chairman. But Wike and his group stand solidly behind Damagum.

While in Rivers State, Fintiri  appealed to  Wike and Governor Fubara to let go of the crisis between them and work together again.

About two weeks ago, however, Wike swore he would never have anything to do with Fubara again.