Former Economic and Financial Crimes Commission boss, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu has given reasons why he dumped his presidential aspirations for governorship primary of the Peoples Democratic Party for the Adamawa State governorship poll.
Punch reports that Ribadu who was once a former presidential candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, spoke to newsmen yesterday revealing that his intention to serve the people at any level was what made him change his mind.
While submitting his nomination form at the national headquarters of the PDP in Abuja yesterday, Ribadu said: “Everything in my life has been about public service. I’m prepared to serve in any capacity. “If you ask me to come and be a sweeper of any street in any part of the country, I’m ready to do that. I don’t even have power of my own in any part.”
He further noted that he is not a bit disturbed about the fact that the PDP has not given all defected members a waiver which can give them them the chance to participate in the party’s primaries which is just by the corner.
”I am not worried about the waiver. I have followed the rules. I am a law and order person. I have done my own bit and I will wait for the party to do their own. That part is not my responsibility,” he noted.
Although the PDP’s constitution disallows new members and returnees from vying for any political posts until after two years, except there is a waiver, the EFCC boss and other new members who defected from APC to the PDP have however not been given a waiver, even after paying a huge fine.
The fine is the politicians’ only passport to participate in the primary, which will produce the party’s candidate for the October 11 election. Aspirants for the prestigious post include the former Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission, Alhaji Mohammed Modibbo; Acting Governor of the state, Ahmed Fintiri; former Presidential Adviser, Ahmed Gulak; and the former ACN governorship candidate in the state, Mr. Marcus Gundiri. Others are former Lagos State Military Administrator, Buba Marwa; Dr. Umar Ardo, Senator Ahmed Girei, Gen. A.A.Kana (retd.), Awwal Tukur and Aliyu Idi-Hong.
However, Modibbo implored the party executives saying: “People should be allowed to contest. We should not pay too much attention to consensus. Our tragedy in the state was that we did not do the proper thing when we chose the past leader.”
It would be recalled that just recently, the Peoples Democratic Party’s National Working Committee had a meeting but surprisingly, the issue of waiver for the newly-defected Adamawa State governorship aspirant, Malam Nuhu Ribadu and others was not discussed.
