₦airaland Forum

Fintiri defection: Retire from politics, go to your second home in Dubai – Presidency chides Atiku

The Presidency has mocked former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, telling him to retire and go to his second home in Dubai.

Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said this in a post on his verified X handle on Friday.

His remark follows the defection of Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State (Atiku’s home state) to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

DAILY POST had reported that Governor Fintiri on Friday dumped the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the APC.

Reacting, Onanuga said, “Adamawa Governor Fintiri joins the APC taking away Atiku’s entire home base to President Tinubu’s party. This is a big blow for Atiku.

“With the presidential election less than a year away, Fintiri’s defection is surely a big blow to veteran presidential runner Atiku Abubakar.

“His ADC is largely unknown in the state. He certainly needs to reassess his ambition, as his governor has turned the APC into an Adamawa juggernaut.

“If a politician is not so popular at home, he has no business selling his candidacy to outsiders. The time is nigh for Atiku to consider retiring from politics and going to his second home in Dubai.”

https://dailypost.ng/2026/02/27/fintiri-defection-retire-from-politics-go-to-your-second-home-in-dubai-presidency-chides-atiku/

But Tinubu can rule from his retirement home in France and the UK.

Thunder 🔥⚡🔥⚡🔥 all of una there

I still wonder why ADC and Atiku himself are not able to draw any governor to their party. With a the influence of Atiku his state governor cannot follow him even his own child too. Does it mean that all these PDP governor are being used as moles in APC. But then Tinubu is not a novice in politics. He cannot just be deceived like that. I can see that politicians have no trust in Atiku.

Tinubu took the fight straight to Atiku’s sitting room. APC will compete in every single state in the country.

Melezenawii:
Fintiri defection: Retire from politics, go to your second home in Dubai – Presidency chides Atiku
https://dailypost.ng/2026/02/27/fintiri-defection-retire-from-politics-go-to-your-second-home-in-dubai-presidency-chides-atiku/

True, if Atiku cannot stop Fintiri with the House of Assemblly, he should just retire from politics.

In the same vein, if Tinubu is afraid of E-Transmission having gotten 30 states, SHAME ON HIM.

seunmsg:
Tinubu took the fight straight to Atiku’s sitting room. APC will compete in every single state in the country.

Yet, APC is afraid of FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS. If APC and Tinubu trust themselves, allow E-Transmission of results.
Better still allow Nigerians to express themselves freely. Tinubu will be gone by 2.00PM.
In any case, we Nigerians have vowed to protect our votes, let's see that useless RO that will dare to say she/he cannot transmit results from the polling unit. The people will do the needful.

Validated:
Yet, APC is afraid of FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS. If APC and Tinubu trust themselves, allow E-Transmission of results.
Better still allow Nigerians to express themselves freely. Tinubu will be gone by 2.00PM.
In any case, we Nigerians have vowed to protect our votes, let's see that useless RO that will dare to say she/he cannot transmit results from the polling unit. The people will do the needful.

Results were transmitted real time to IREV in the last FCT election and ADC couldn’t win a single councilorship seat. In 2027, results will be transmitted to IREV and Peter Obi will still lose badly.

Obiedun:
I still wonder why ADC and Atiku himself are not able to draw any governor to their party. With a the influence of Atiku his state governor cannot follow him even his own child too. Does it mean that all these PDP governor are being used as moles in APC. But then Tinubu is not a novice in politics. He cannot just be deceived like that. I can see that politicians have no trust in Atiku.

What he did in 2023 still fresh in most of the governor's brain, PDP would have staged a come back show but Atiku mess the chance by being adamant in retaining Ayu as the chairman of the party also the choice of VP finished everything.

Watching the opposition often feels like staged theatre that somehow benefits Tinubu rather than challenges him.There’s little sign of genuine strategy or clear policy disagreement, even actions by figures like El-Rufai sometimes seem more performative than substantive.

For instance, the image of a presidential aspirant dramatically pricing groundnuts by the roadside, with cameras and media in tow, raises eyebrows about whether this is real grassroots politics or political showmanship.

Meanwhile, critics struggle to clearly state their objections to issues like the new electoral law.
In essence, it feels less like true opposition and more like carefully staged optics, leaving Tinubu with what looks more like supporting actors than challengers.

Please o...we need his dollars every 4yrs at the primaries. He shouldn't quit

Onanuga
Lai Mohammed

These men are just old f00ls who have traded their brains for mammon.

Tell that also to your boss, Tinubu (PBAT)...

atiku is now like an empty drum making so much noise with nothing relevant

All this is happening because the APC is doing well nowadays, since the end of the Buhari era...

NIGERIANS CAN SEE IT.

Tinubu is settng a new direction, and these are the spillover effects. Success attracts.

Richtaiwo:
Watching the opposition often feels like staged theatre that somehow benefits Tinubu rather than challenges him.There’s little sign of genuine strategy or clear policy disagreement, even actions by figures like El-Rufai sometimes seem more performative than substantive.

For instance, the image of a presidential aspirant dramatically pricing groundnuts by the roadside, with cameras and media in tow, raises eyebrows about whether this is real grassroots politics or political showmanship.

Meanwhile, critics struggle to clearly state their objections to issues like the new electoral law.
In essence, it feels less like true opposition and more like carefully staged optics, leaving Tinubu with what looks more like supporting actors than challengers.

Pragmatic engaging response from you

No action will be taken against you

You are now a Bornagain politician using subtle jabs to pass your savage response.

We might likely release the remaining of your houses and the balance of 20 billion naira before 2027.


Let me cc: Ribadu and Chief of Defence Staff haha 😆😂

All of you should retire, you're of no use to the masses

This is the problem I have with Onaguga.

Pootle:
atiku is now like an empty drum making so much noise with nothing relevant

Is Atiku really that noisy, compared to the groundnuts presidential aspirant?

Take 36 gov and give us mandatory electioneering. Whether A PC LIKE IT OR NOT election transmission electioneering must be mandatory. This is bigger than any gov.

I agree 100%.
But Escobar is doing a lot of damage.
He has proved his incompetence.
He needs to go with Atiku to save Nigeria.

Please who still has that picture of tinubu pissing himself in diapers

Validated:
True, if Atiku cannot stop Fintiri with the House of Assemblly, he should just retire from politics.

In the same vein, if Tinubu is afraid of E-Transmission having gotten 30 states, SHAME ON HIM.

"I believe in God with impunity "

Onanuga will soon join Femi Adesina to live a quiet life, after we remove Tinubu in 2027. Let him enjoy his noise now.

Look at this old cargo talking, APC is a course to Nigeria.

Obiedun:
I still wonder why ADC and Atiku himself are not able to draw any governor to their party. With a the influence of Atiku his state governor cannot follow him even his own child too. Does it mean that all these PDP governor are being used as moles in APC. But then Tinubu is not a novice in politics. He cannot just be deceived like that. I can see that politicians have no trust in Atiku.

Anambra and Adamawa states where both OBI and ATIKU did not even have the support of their state governors. This is actually a bad omen.

Imagine Lagos state governor decamping to ADC? And not supporting TINUBU. By now Obi supporters will be using it as a weapon.

Tinubu should be the one retiring...

he should head to his retirement house in France

Ofunaofu:
But Tinubu can rule from his retirement home in France and the UK.

Thunder 🔥⚡🔥⚡🔥 all of una there

That's after his retirement. Tinubu has not retired and there is nothing for that now. As for Atiku failure is staring at him. His old associates are running away from him. He has no reason not to retire. Only discredited politicians are with him because they are disgruntled elements

Melezenawii:
Fintiri defection: Retire from politics, go to your second home in Dubai – Presidency chides Atiku


https://dailypost.ng/2026/02/27/fintiri-defection-retire-from-politics-go-to-your-second-home-in-dubai-presidency-chides-atiku/

Anambra,Imo and Zamfara governors are also APC in proxy . They might not defect but surely working for Asiwaju. For Oyo and Osun, they are in a confused state.

seunmsg:
Tinubu took the fight straight to Atiku’s sitting room. APC will compete in every single state in the country.

Yeessss
Now all we need is a free and fair election 🙏 to prove APC is the best thing ever to happen to Nigeria....

Tinubu is the one that seriously needs to retire and go back to his second home in France or his original home in Iragbiji Osun state

lol. This one na straight uppercut