Former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Nuhu Ribadu and seven others in the early hours of Friday withdrew from the Adamawa State governorship by-election slated for October 11, this year, as well as the primary of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP billed for Saturday 6, October.
The withdrawal of the eight out of the fourteen contestants running for the office of the governor of the state was announced after an all-night meeting of leadership of the National Working Committee, NWC, of the party with all those who had expressed interest in the party ticket, held at the Banquet Hall of Aso Rock presidential villa in Abuja and presided over by Senate President, David Mark.
Other contestants, who accepted to step down along wwth the former EFCC boss are Aliyu Idi Hong, Andrawus Sawa, Awwal Tukur, James Barka, Aliyu Kama, and Abubakar Girei, Markus Gundiri.
Six other contestants, who are still showing interest in the by-election and the primaries of the PDP, are former military governor of Lagos and Borno states, Buba Marwa, the acting governor of the state, Umaru Fintiri, former political adviser of President Goodluck Jonathan, Ahmed Gulak, former Executive Secretary of Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, Ahmed Modibbo, Umar Ardo, and the chief whip of the State House of Assembly, Jerry Kumdisi.
It was however gathered that a consensus agreement was reached among everyone present at the closed door meeting that the six contestants vying for the party’s ticket on Saturday will not contest for the office in 2015 general elections.
Also, those who accepted to step to down might be the ones to contest for the office in 2015.
Meanwhile, the opposition All Progressive Congress, APC, amongst other parties, which also has a very strong presence in the state is expected to make the election a hard nut to crack for the PDP, even as it has slated its own primaries for September 7, with the National Screening Committee clearing seven aspirants.
The seven are include Yakubu Tsala, Emmanuel Bello, Dahiru Bobbo, Bindo Jibrilla, Ahmed Barata, Boss Mustafa and Ibrahim Mijinyawa.