Adamawa Government Withdraws Waziri Title from Atiku

The Adamawa State Government has officially stripped the traditional title of Waziri of Adamawa from former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

The government cited newly implemented indigeneship criteria governing emirate council leadership.

The revocation was conveyed in a circular dated June 20, 2025, signed by Mrs. Adama Felicity Mamman, Permanent Secretary of the Department of Chieftaincy Affairs.

According to the document, the action is part of a wider restructuring initiative targeting traditional institutions, following the creation of new chiefdoms by Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri’s administration.

Long regarded as the second most powerful traditional titleholder after the Lamido Adamawa, the position of Waziri Adamawa is now subject to stricter eligibility rules.

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Under the revised policy, only persons originating from Yola South, Yola North, Girei, Mayo-Belwa, Song, and Zumo districts are qualified to hold titles within the emirate council system.

Atiku, an indigene of Jada Local Government Area, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Ganye Chiefdom, is no longer eligible under the new framework.

The circular emphasized that the restriction is not exclusive to Atiku but affects “all council members and traditional titleholders whose ancestry lies outside the approved districts,” thereby triggering a significant reshuffling of leadership across the state’s traditional institutions.

Though the state government maintains that the policy is administrative, observers believe the decision may be politically motivated.

Analysts point to recent friction between Governor Fintiri and Atiku Abubakar, both of whom were influential figures in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the 2023 elections.

Atiku’s growing association with political heavyweights such as Peter Obi, Nasir El-Rufai, and Senator Aishatu Binani has fueled speculation of a potential new opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The loss of his traditional title may further signal a deepening rift within the PDP’s top ranks in Adamawa State.

Adding to the ongoing controversy is a bill currently before the Adamawa State House of Assembly, which proposes granting the state governor sweeping powers to depose traditional rulers and appoint successors without recourse to traditional kingmakers or community inputs.

Critics of the bill warn that if passed, it could strip traditional institutions of their autonomy and give the governor unchecked influence over royal appointments.