ABUJA, NIGERIA — Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, has urged former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to consider retiring from politics following the defection of Adamawa State Governor Umaru Fintiri to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Reacting to the development, Onanuga described Fintiri’s move from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC as a decisive political shift that has effectively turned the ruling party into a dominant force in Adamawa State, long regarded as Atiku’s home base.
Governor Fintiri announced his defection in a broadcast on Friday morning, stating that his decision was taken in the “developmental interest” of Adamawa people. He also disclosed that members of his cabinet, lawmakers, and other PDP officials in the state had moved with him to the APC, consolidating the party’s control of the state’s political structure.
Onanuga said the development represents a major blow to Atiku’s political standing ahead of the 2027 presidential election. He argued that with his home state now firmly under APC control, the former vice president faces a significant challenge in sustaining national momentum for another presidential bid.
According to Onanuga, a politician who struggles to maintain influence in his home state would find it difficult to persuade voters elsewhere. He advised Atiku to reassess his ambitions and consider stepping away from active politics, suggesting he return to what he described as his “second home in Dubai.”
The remarks come amid intensifying political realignments across the country as parties position themselves ahead of the next general election cycle.
