The Adamawa State Government has revoked the traditional title of Waziri Adamawa held by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, citing a new policy requiring that all titleholders and council members within emirate councils must be indigenes of the respective chiefdoms.
The development was disclosed in a circular dated 20 June 2025, by the Permanent Secretary of the Department of Chieftaincy AffairsMrs. Adama Felicity Mamman. The directive stems from the recent restructuring of traditional institutions following the creation of new chiefdoms in the state by Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri.
The Waziri Adamawa is traditionally regarded as the second most senior figure in the Adamawa Emirate, after the Lamido of Adamawa.
The circular noted that only indigenes of the Yola South, Yola North, Girei, Mayo-Belwa, Song, and Zumo districts would henceforth be eligible to serve as kingmakers or council members in the Adamawa Emirate. This automatically excludes Atiku, who hails from Jada Local Government Area, part of the Ganye Chiefdom.
The decision also affects other traditional titleholders who fall outside the new indigeneship requirements.
While the government maintains that the move is in line with administrative reforms tied to the restructuring of traditional institutions, political observers have linked the timing to a growing rift between Governor Fintiri and Atiku. Both figures were members of the Peoples Democratic Party during the 2023 elections but are now on opposing sides of emerging political realignments.
Atiku has recently been associated with talks involving political figures such as Nasir El-Rufai, Peter Obi, and Aishatu Binani in what is seen as an effort to build a new opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 elections.
Meanwhile, a new bill currently before the Adamawa State House of Assembly has raised further concerns. The bill seeks to give the governor powers to depose traditional rulers deemed unfit to rule and to appoint successors directly—a proposal that critics warn could centralise excessive authority in the hands of the executive.
