GPF, AUF Declare War on “Domination, Religious Politics” in Adamawa, Rally Behind Fintiri-Style Successor for 2027

By Emmanuel Kwada

In a bold and unprecedented move, a powerful coalition of indigenous NGOs representing ethnic nationalities of the defunct Gongola State has vowed to dismantle what it described as decades of Fulani politics of domination and the weaponisation of religion in Adamawa State.

The coalition, led by the Gongola Peoples’ Forum (GPF) and the Adamawa Unity Forum (AUF), made the resolution at the end of a high-stake sensitization meeting held in Yola, the state capital, with critical stakeholders from four contiguous local government areas.

Rising from the meeting, the groups resolved to actively search for and support a gubernatorial candidate in the 2027 election who will faithfully walk in the footsteps of the incumbent Governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, whose administration they credit with breaking the cycle of feudal control and cultural erosion.

“The legacy of Governor Fintiri has set the pace for the vision of over 85 indigenous peoples of the state in a most significant way,” the coalition declared.

“Allowing the feudal system that is opposed to inclusivity to succeed him will amount to a dangerous reversal of the progress made so far.”

The coalition identified the core threat to their people as the “Fulani feudal agenda” aimed at erasing cultural identities and seizing ancestral lands – a storm they say Governor Fintiri has successfully weathered during his tenure.

“Continuation of his programmes remains the best way out of the cultural erosion the state has been subjected to for over a century,” the groups stated.

The movement also unveiled an all-inclusive agenda for the 2027 electoral cycle, anchored strictly on the principles of inclusivity, people empowerment, highly subsidised education and good governance.

The agenda is designed to counter the “divide-and-rule tactics” of the ruling oligarchy, which the coalition blamed for keeping indigenous communities poor and vulnerable to money politics for generations.

The coalition frowned at what it called “a century of systematic impoverishment of our people through the tyranny of political practice which views them as serfs.”

A candidate deserving of their support, the groups said, must be a firm believer in inclusivity in governance, empowerment of the people, and massive investment in education and human capital development.

On the sensitive issue of religion, the coalition regretted its longtime use as a weapon of division in the state but declared that Governor Fintiri had effectively neutralised the tactic through deliberate policies, especially the creation of chiefdoms and Emirates based purely on merit rather than religious or ethnic considerations.

The meeting warmly commended Governor Fintiri for his principled stand that he would not impose any candidate on the people, describing his decision to allow citizens to freely choose his successor as a rare demonstration of wisdom and democratic maturity.

In a passionate closing message to stakeholders, the coalition declared that the restoration of their identity must now determine who they vote for in 2027, not money.

“Identity is life,” they stressed. “Without it, you cease to exist even while still living.”

The declaration signals the beginning of what could become a major political realignment in Adamawa State ahead of the 2027 governorship election, with indigenous groups drawing a firm line against perceived domination and positioning themselves as kingmakers in the choice of the next governor.