Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has been stripped of his traditional title as the Waziri Adamawa, following a sweeping directive by the Adamawa State government mandating that all kingmakers and council members of emirate and traditional councils must be indigenes of their respective chiefdoms.
Atiku, who was turbaned as the seventh Waziri of the Adamawa Emirate in November 2018 by the Lamido of Adamawa, Muhammadu Barkindo, is originally from Jada in Ganye Emirate and not the Adamawa Emirate.
The Waziri title placed him next in rank to the Lamido and made him a key member of the emirate’s council.
However, a circular dated June 19 and signed by Adama Felicity Mamman, the Permanent Secretary of the Department of Chieftaincy Affairs, directed all traditional councils to immediately relieve any kingmaker or council member who is not an indigene of the relevant emirate or chiefdom.
“Following the creation of new Chiefdoms in the State by the Executive Governor of Adamawa State, Rt. Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, I am directed to inform you that all Kingmakers and Council members in the state must be indigenes of their Chiefdoms,” the circular read in part.
“For example, all Kingmakers and Council members from Adamawa Emirate Council must be indigenes of Yola South, Yola North, Girei, Mayo-Belwa, Song, and Zumo districts, while those of Mubi Emirate Council must be indigenes of Mubi South and Mubi North.”
The directive added that while individuals conferred with purely honorary traditional titles could retain them regardless of their local government origin, those holding functional roles such as kingmakers or council members must be indigenes.
“With the content of this circular, all Kingmakers and Council members who are not indigenes of the Chiefdoms have been relieved of their appointments,” the document stated.
Councils were also instructed to submit new lists of nominated kingmakers and council members to the governor for approval.
When reached for clarification on how the directive would affect the former vice president, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Fintiri, Humwashi Wonosikou, said only the Lamido of Adamawa could determine Atiku’s indigene status.
“Alhaji Atiku Abubakar lives in Yola and is a registered voter there, so only the Lamido can determine his indigeneship status,” Wonosikou said.
He also noted that the policy was not a new one but was now being implemented through the circular. “The governor gave the directive when he presented the staff of office to the emirs and chiefs of the newly created emirates and chiefdoms earlier this year,” he explained.
According to him, the move was intended to ensure loyalty and cultural alignment within traditional institutions. “The government felt it may create doubts about loyalty for a kingmaker (and council member) who is not an indigene of the traditional council of which he is a member,” he said.
Governor Fintiri’s administration created seven new emirates and chiefdoms in December 2024 after the state House of Assembly passed the “Adamawa State Chiefs (Appointment and Deposition) and Matters Incidental Thereto” law on December 10. This increased the number of traditional councils in the state to 14.
Despite the directive’s implication on Atiku, the governor’s spokesperson dismissed speculation that the move signaled a political rift. “There is no rift between them,” he said, referring to Governor Fintiri and the former vice president.
On the ongoing internal crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Wonosikou noted that Governor Fintiri remained aligned with the PDP Governors’ Forum. “He is committed to the forum’s positions on the crisis,” he stated.
When contacted on Tuesday night, Atiku’s media adviser, Paul Ibe, said he was not aware of the policy or its implications on his principal’s title.
