Adamawa did not merely witness an election in 2023; it endured a political siege.
Long after the ballots were cast, the state remained trapped in a vortex of tension, intrigue, and intense national scrutiny.
At the heart of the storm stood His Excellency, Rt Hon Dr Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, a sitting governor fighting not only for re-election but for the survival of a mandate fiercely won and aggressively contested.
Those turbulent moments, which many hoped time would soften or erase, returned vividly at the launch of Fintiri… The Man They Could Not Stop, held on Monday, 2 February 2026, at the Conference Hall of
Muna Hotel, Yola. More than a book unveiling, the event became a mirror held up to one of the most controversial governorship elections in Nigeria’s recent history.
The road to the 2023 governorship election was paved with tension. Campaigns were fierce, emotions ran high, and political loyalties fractured communities across Adamawa State. Yet nothing prepared the state or the nation for what would unfold at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) State Office.
Actions attributed to the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Barr. Ari Hudu, triggered outrage and confusion, culminating in dramatic twists in Fufore Local Government Area and several other polling units.
Overnight, Adamawa became the epicentre of a political firestorm.
As observed during the book launch by Mr. Babajide Kolade-Otitolu, anchor of TVC’s Journalists’ Hangout, the global media spotlight turned sharply toward the state. For days, Adamawa dominated headlines, talk shows, courtrooms, and digital platforms.
The crisis soon escalated beyond Yola; INEC headquarters in Abuja, led by National Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, was forced into emergency decisions amid mounting public pressure, legal challenges, and international attention.
Court processes followed swiftly, and what began as an electoral contest evolved into a national democratic test.
Behind the legal arguments and official statements was a widely held belief among Governor Fintiri’s supporters that powerful forces, both within and outside Adamawa, were determined to overturn the clearly expressed will of the electorate.
Governor Fintiri, however, was no passive observer; seasoned by years in public life, he recognised early that the battle extended beyond votes. It was a test of endurance, political will, and the capacity to withstand orchestrated pressure.
As events unfolded, he became both the symbol and the subject of resistance to what many perceived as a deliberate attempt to subvert democracy.
These defining moments form the backbone of Fintiri… The Man They Could Not Stop, authored by Chief Solomon Kumangar, former Director-General of Media and Communications to the Governor and retired
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Strategy.
Drawing from insider access and institutional memory, the book reconstructs the crisis with striking clarity.
Part political biography and part historical record, the work documents not just a man but a moment when power, process, and popular will collided on a national stage.
Reflecting on the election during his remarks at the launch, Governor Fintiri said it revealed “acts of intimidation, moral compromise, and desperation by political actors”, while acknowledging “the courage and resolve of the people of Adamawa State”.
“The attempt to stop me cannot be told in one book,” he noted. “The 2023 election was only the peak of many efforts.”
Chairman of the occasion and Governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Sule, commended Governor Fintiri for what he described as his transformative leadership in Adamawa.
Former Senate President Dr Bukola Saraki urged Nigerians to read the book, describing it as “a detailed account of governance, leadership, and political perseverance.”
The book reviewer, Bishop Matthew Kukah, praised the intellectual depth of the author, noting that the work offers critical insights into “power, resistance, and governance within Nigeria’s democratic space.”
The symbolism of the launch was unmistakable. Political leaders, media professionals, and observers who once watched the drama unfold in real time gathered under one roof.
It was not merely a celebration of authorship but a reopening of a national conversation about democracy’s fragility and its resilience.
Aligning with this sentiment, the unveiler of the book and National Vice Chairman of the ruling APC, North-East Zone, Comrade Mustapha Salihu, who single-handedly raised over ₦100 million at the event, praised the author for documenting “courage, resilience, and democratic struggle.”
In revisiting Adamawa’s political crucible, Fintiri… The Man They Could Not Stop poses a lingering question: when the people have spoken, who truly has the power to silence them?
For Adamawa and for Nigeria, the answer remains profoundly instructive.
