The Adamawa State Government has responded to growing claims that its new chieftaincy reform is aimed at weakening former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s role in the state’s traditional leadership system.
The controversy started on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, when a government circular announcing the enforcement of the reform became public.
The reform restricts non-indigenes from holding council positions in emirates and chiefdoms across the state.
Atiku, who is from Jada under the Ganye Emirate, currently holds the position of Waziri Adamawa in the Adamawa Emirate.
His inclusion in a council outside his original emirate has drawn attention following the new order, leading to assumptions that the move was politically motivated to reduce his influence ahead of 2027.
Reacting to the development, the Adamawa Commissioner for Information explained that the reform is meant to give local control back to emirates and chiefdoms.
According to the government, only indigenes should be involved in decision-making for their traditional institutions, while titles remain unaffected.
The state had last year created seven new emirates and chiefdoms.
This change meant that several council members in the Adamawa Emirate, including Atiku and others such as Abdulkadir Aminu Mbamba, former Chief Judge Nathan Musa, and ex-Speaker James Barka, are now considered non-indigenes due to the new structure.
These individuals, who previously belonged to the Adamawa Emirate through their local government areas, are now under newly established chiefdoms like Huba, created in November 2024.
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