Atiku loses Waziri title in new Adamawa indigeneship policy that confines certain tiles to certain emirates
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has finally lost his Waziri Adamawa title – first initiated and stopped earlier in the year by an emirate in the state but now – with the revocation by the Adamawa government, citing a new indigeneship policy affecting emirate council leadership.
The decision was communicated in a circular dated June 20, signed by Adama Felicity Mamman, Permanent Secretary of the Department of Chieftaincy Affairs.
It is said to be part of a broader restructuring of traditional institutions following the recent creation of new chiefdoms by the Governor Ahmadu Fintiri’s administration.
Waziri Adamawa, traditionally considered the second highest-ranking figure in the emirate after the Lamido, now falls under new eligibility criteria which stipulate that only indigenes from Yola South, Yola North, Girei, Mayo-Belwa, Song, and Zumo districts can hold emirate council positions or titles.
Atiku, a native of Jada Council, part of Ganye chiefdom, is thus disqualified.
The circular said the new policy applies to all council members and traditional titleholders within emirate systems across the state, thereby affecting several others whose origins are outside the approved districts.
While the state government insists the policy is purely administrative, political analysts have linked it to rising tensions between Fintiri and Atiku. Both men were prominent figures in the PDP during the 2023 election but recent events suggest a widening political rift.
A bill is currently before the Adamawa Assembly that seeks to grant the Governor the power to depose traditional rulers deemed unfit and appoint successors directly.
Critics warn the proposed law could concentrate excessive authority in the hands of the executive and erode the autonomy of traditional institutions.
Atiku has recently been associated with opposition coalition talks involving key political actors such as Peter Obi, Nasir El-Rufai, and Aishatu Binani – fueling speculation about a new alliance for the 2027 election.
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