Mallam Nuhu Ribadu may be out in the cold as his chances of contesting the forthcoming gubernatorial primaries of the Adamawa State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), became slimmer, yesterday, following the failure of the PDP’s National Working Committee, NWC, to discuss a waiver for him.
Apart from Ribadu, who joined the party this week, others likely to be affected include former military governor of Lagos State, Brig-Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd); and Marcus Gundiri, who recently returned to the party.
15 aspirants had collected the Expression of Interest form to contest the PDP primaries for the governorship election that was triggered by the impeachment of Admiral Murtala Nyako last month, reports Vanguard whose sources at the meeting of the NWC said that the issue of a waiver was not discussed at the meeting.
Prior to yesterday’s meeting of the NWC, hopes were high for Ribadu, who had collected his Expression of Interest and nomination forms that the issue would be discussed having applied for a waiver in line with Section 50 of the party’s constitution.
If Ribadu is not granted waiver by the party, it may send the 2011 presidential candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, into political oblivion. It remains to be seen whether PDP’s NWC will meet again in time to grant him a waiver to make him eligible to contest the primaries. But with due consultations made before his defection, hopes remain high in Ribadu’s camp that a waiver would be granted before the primaries.
